A Darker Shade Of White
by Amaterusa
Summary: Shihouin Isuka is the current heir of her house after the defection of it's previsou Head, Yoruichi. To reclaim her house's honor she enter's Seireitei anonomously and things begin to heat up. Consumed with her own regrets and shortcomings of her Zanpakuto, Shiroshin Isuin moves on... Can she reclaim her broke honor? Or will the things she learns about Seireitei unravel everything.
1. Chapter 1

Many years had passed since Isuka had taken over as head of the house hold for the Noble house Shihoin. After the defection of its previous head, Yoruichi Shihoin and the house's name had disgraced many and equally many have lost faith in its name. Since then Isuka has trained with bound powers and learned the ways of Seireitei to regain Shihoin's name to its previous honourable state. Now with Isuka's final acceptance as head of the house and the coronation hours away she sat dressed to acknowledge her fate and set her plans into motion.

"You look magnificent Isuka." From the door stood Isuka's personal trainer and strategist Kazuma. He had been the one to raise her, having lost nothing and since has seen him as a father figure.

"Thank you Kazuma-sensei." Isuka bowed and Kazuma brought her into a hug.

"You have exceeded most of our training and I am most proud. So today do not worry about making a mess of things. You will be fine and... Your time is running out! You had better hurry." He released her and she opened the door to leave.

"You have been more like a father than any one and I will always think of you that way." Before he could answer she left, she didn't need to be any more embarrassed than already.

As Kazuma had said the coronation went without mishap. Isuka returned to her room and changed out of the deep blue dress and upbraided thick black hair. For a moment she looked in the mirror and recalled the issues she had to overcome to get this far. Her looks had been one of them.

'Such a silly thing' She commented in her head. 'You think they'd have been glad... '

In the house of Shihouin most members of the line had the dark skin. Some others varied but not so much as she had. Other members of the family which had tried to take the title of head had said her birth was not legitimate but she and ended such thoughts.

'_How can anyone be legitimate in a place like Soul Society? Have you lost your minds?'_

And so, pale skinned and violet eye unlike the amber that graced the Shihouin lines predecessor. She was as far from looking Shihoin as every single outsider.

Isuka followed the dirt path that lead to the dojo style building to train with Kazuma that had been planned for the day. Most of her studies she had overcome and exceeded; Fighting and her dance where the only ones she now continued other than her constant thoughts on Seireitei. The city always changed so much and she always had much to learn. Fighting she had been inapt with since birth… she never felt fighting was worth it until Kazuma explained things that only could be solved with a battle of fists other than with words. Her studies in dance had added to her agility in fighting and when she fought it was like she was still lost in dance.

"Good evening Isuka. It is wonderful to see you." He was always so polite and even more so now that her title was official though she found no need for him to speak with her any differently.

"Shall we begin?" Kazuma nodded and set aside the book he had been reading and placed a rock on it to keep it from bending in the heavy wind that blew across the outdoor platform.

"Today I will fight with no restrictions. You will, as best you can; take me down. Should you feel unable to fight simply tell me to stop." Isuka agreed and a few other students Kazuma trained sat on the side lines to watch. She could hear them cheer her on and felt a pride rise that she felt only when fighting, so very contradictory to her previous thoughts on fighting. The only issue she had was she had no Zanpakuto.

One of the students shouted the fight to begin and Isuka flew across the gravel. Usually never the aggressor she took a new edge into battling with him today. She knew that Kazuma though he didn't look like it was a dangerous opponent. He had learned the finer arts of Kido and only the most high levelled spells he needed use of the incantation to make them deadly.

"Kyakko." Isuka braced herself as Kazuma vanished, she knew where he would go and that was for her weakest point. The only thing to do was to purposely make a weaker point.

Sure enough he came where she wanted, but didn't attack where she thought he would. Instead he slammed her head long into the ground for 30 feet instead of trying to slice her midsection.

"Good. Trying to make an opponent do what you'd like is nice, but enemies that know of you will not fall to that so easily. Be wary of that." This was the worst part of fighting with Kazuma. He always 'teaches' during a fight, but to her it was as if he was mocking her, even though she knew better.

Quickly she picked herself from the ground before he attacked her again. As he said he would not go easy and any enemy would not wait for their opponent to get back up again. Using the only thing she knew she could do better than him was flash-stepping. That was one of few thing Yoruichi had taught her before her defection from Seireitei. Kazuma dug his feet into the earth for better footing and swung down before she was even visible to the eye. His Zanpakuto slammed length ways into her legs and she buckled and lifted off her feet for a moment before landing on her rear.

"Not good enough Isuka." The other student chanted her name as she spit dirt out of her mouth and wiped away more dirt. Below him a circle brimmed white in the dirt, a set of numbers burning above the surface.

"Kakushitsuijaku…" '_He'd been tracking me before I had even attacked…'_ Being a strategist was good to have in battle so long as it was your ability and not the others.

"Soren Sokatsui." Isuka swore under her breath and the other students on the side lines got up from their seats and stumbled away from the arena. Blue fire swirled around behind Kazuma and grew large. She could already feel Kazuma's Reitsu as it began to slow her movements; the pressure and gravity seemed to pull her down.

Fighting the urge to give in, the fire balls set loose from their tethers blasted down to incinerate her.

From somewhere shouts rang out in shock.

"T-Tozansho." She shouted the name and fire crashed into a pyramid of blue light and the fire sputtered out. But already the next attack was coming.

"Kazuma-sensei. This is too much." Her lungs burned as if she'd took in his attack like air. One arm felt numb so to stop it from moving around too much she tied it to the obi at her waist.

"Reikohu!" Her attack flared and burst with Kazuma's and one of the young men ran to help her up.

"You have a visitor Kazuma sensei… This can wait no?" But both Isuka and Kazuma heard nothing of his words and she sent him out of the ring with a single glance.

Kazuma's voice echoed from everywhere; his last spell still sang in harmony with the wind.

"Hiriyugekizokushintenraiho." Isuka thought he was mad and he was throwing everyone present in danger. She must have pushed him over the edge somehow… but with what she had no idea. Kido was not her forte, but never the less as her fellow students attempted to run from the oncoming blast she formed the only spell she knew that might save them.

As the heat from the attack and the roar of fire deafened her ears and blinded her eyes she threw up her hands and shouted a shielding spell.

"Danku!" She finished the spell and a crystalline box closed in a round his Thunder Cannon. Though her ears were ringing a crack broke through the constant tone and then another crack. She looked up thinking her barrier was failing, but it remained steady, the thunder inside slowly dying away.

Bells chimed distant and weak.

A final shattering sound and the weight of Kazuma's Reitsu lessened and then vanished completely.

"What on earth?" She stood up as tree limbs cracked under an unseen weight and the people who had been watching her lay on the ground unconscious.

"But my spell held true!"

"Isuka!" Kazuma cried out and he crawled across the ground towards her. Had his spell backfired somehow?

"Kazuma!" She couldn't imagine what was happening when a hand landed on her shoulder. Thankfully seeing Kazuma on the floor erased her fighting intentions otherwise she might have swung.

"Forgive me child." She turned as an old man spoke, but already her sight was dimming.

"Kazuma…."

The main house was in a ruckus, feet running this way and that in some uproar. The sounds slowly drew Isuka from her sleep and she slowly stood from the bed. Beneath, her legs trembled and shook uncontrollably and images of everything going up in flames brought her running to the door and she stopped. Kazuma's voice spoke from the other side and down the hall. He was alright.

Her hands gripped the door handle, but she was unable to turn it to open the door. She feared the voice on the other side was one like Kazuma's, but not his. She had seen his face; he had crawled on the floor like a dying man seeking forgiveness. The blood that had traced the soft line of his jaw...

"Young lady, I am sorry to have missed your coronation, but late it seems is better than not at all." Behind her stood General Yamamoto and Captain of the First Squad of Seireitei; He was supposed to have shown for her coronation as her title became official, but he had not been present and Kazuma had not explained why.

"Greetings… I beg forgiveness if I fail in being polite… I am most unwell." He did not smile even after her low bow, but took a seat at a table in the room and motioned for her to join.

"I would think so after that display in your dojo hours ago… seems things of Kazuma's making have come undone." She didn't understand just what he meant, but she knew he would explain. He had been the man she almost attacked before blacking out.

"What happened at the dojo? Is every one alright?" Fear gripped her and she clutched her leg to stop their chattering. She ignored every single thing in her teaching that taught her respect before her elders and even then it rubbed against the grain.

"Something rather interesting; you have been informed that your spiritual powers have been sealed since you found out you were next in line to the Shihouin house, correct?" Isuka nodded. She had been told that and was one of the first memories she had.

"Good, well it seems that Kazuma has been keeping that seal under control until you broke through it earlier this evening. Your Reitsu seems to have bottle itself up instead of dissipating as the seal was supposed to and so after your imaginative battle came to a crushing end, it was unleashed and caused a… rather enormous amount of damage; Your fellow students and Kazuma are well." Isuka let out the sigh she had pent up inside, in case Yamamoto said ill news instead.

"I believe I have you to thank for that?" He nodded and smiled, his wrinkles becoming more evident.

"The only ill news is that the seal cannot be redone." Again she found herself without understanding. "Being that as it is, I have managed a way to deal with such. That ring about your wrist, 'eats' or rather consumes Reitsu. I would have thought it was not needed... except your spirit pressure is rather intense and is not waning in strength just yet. I fear you may have to wear it for a while until you acclimate to your new change." She bowed in thanks and agreed about the suggestion made. "As it is, I find you are a good candidate for head of this house and will expect to see great things from you, but I must be going now. Please expect my apologies at my short appearance."

"It was you that saved my friends and teacher. I have you to thank for that." She bowed once more though to her it would never seem enough.

"It was you that saved your friends. Although on the weaker side, the spell was more than enough to fend off your teachers spell, though his choice in spell use should be thought of before hand if he wishes not to destroy such a lovely home." Isuka laughed and agreed, showing him to the front door and wishing him safe return, Not that he needed it. Something behind her tingled and she swung around blocking with her hands.

"Kazuma-sama." He looked at her stunned and mildly stand-offish.

"You seem well… that is good. I am sorry for having placed you in such danger. Please forgive me." Isuka went to embrace him, but in her hand was something hard and unfamiliar. When she looked down a sword hung between her fingers. All she could do was look at. Her mind did not seem to comprehend the sword resting in her palm.

"It seems I could not avoid this forever… You will have new training from now on. I will be a merciless teacher." Isuka stared at the sword, it was thin and long, the handle was an intricate tangle of twined glass or something else transparent and stuck out horizontally form the hilt.

"This is… my Zanpakuto..." Kazuma remained silent. "Yes… training will be most difficult, and I am saddened that you cannot teach me this." She turned her eyes and looked at him, hiding the love, joy and fear that he brought her all at once. "I have decided I will enter Seireitei and become a Shinigami. I will learn from my mentors there and my fellow comrade as I have done so here till now."

"Impossible." Isuka gave him a strange look." I will teach you."

"That is impossible. You will remain here and carry out my duties in my absence. I will return as head when I have learned what is needed to carry out the duties of my own will. I will bring honour to my house."

"You will not be trained right. You will be belittled because of Yoruichi's failings. This bodes ill news for the Shihoin name, not well."

"Then I will go nameless. Or a fake name I will bare so no such things happen. I will prove my worth and bring my true name to light when the time is right. I will bring our name back into good graces. It is my purpose." Kazuma stood silent and his face saddened. "I will be fine."

"I know. It is just, that you have grown so fast and so well. It saddens me to have you leave, but with such a good cause it is hard to argue against you."

"Then we must be careful. The smallest of things can give you away. This... will allow us to communicate yet remain anonymous to everyone else." Taking her hand his voice lowered.

The spell he wove made the shadows in the room spasm then bend. Like an illusion the shadows moved like water and pooled under her feet then crawled up her legs. After a moment the blackness moved over her arms and resolved onto her skin, tattooed.

"This is Tenteikura… This will allow us to speak where ever we are to each other, silent and obscure to all others." Isuka smiled at Kazuma like a daughter to her father.

"What kind of name do you plan to use?" Already the previous mishap had been washed clear from their minds.

"I'm not sure yet…"

"You will tell me when you find out, right?"

"Of course."

"Then I will let you rest now. It has been a tiring day and we have much to do to allow you to disappear from the Shihoin house." She sighed at the work load ahead and he left the room to allow it. That was when it hit her.

As Kazuma walked down the halls he arched his sore back and felt the ink on his arm swirl and a single word formed after a moment.

"Isuin." Then "Half Isuka, half Shihoin." And before he dropped his arm one more transmission moulded onto his arm.

"Thank you, Otosan."

He replied "With love to my daughter."


	2. Chapter 2

There were no goodbyes as Isuka left the only home she had ever known. Kazuma had made it a habit to call her by her new name, 'Isuin' so that she might become apt to hearing it rather than Isuka. The house remained in its usually busy state, but little to any one spoke of her leaving. They had been sworn to secrecy and every one had a spell tied to them. They were physically unable to say, speak or even write the name Isuka so long as her image stood in thought, a rather useful spell.

"You are ready to do this then?" Kazuma had all but begged her to stay, but knew this was in fact the best course for her.

"I have to be. As the head of the Shihoin house I need do everything I can to make right the wrongs that my cousin has wrought. Yoruichi will be proud that I managed what she could not in her absence. I am sure." It was not that Isuka hated Yoruichi for leaving. Isuka thought her reasons being unknown must be important, but she left a great wound to be healed and by a girl who looked no older than 3 at the time.

"I cannot go with you. After you leave the outside gate I can no longer see you and speak to you in person. It may be years before I can greet you as Isuka again. Will you be ok with this?" He was making this difficult, but if she could not even get through this, than she was not ready to be Shihoin's head.

"No. I will not. I will miss you. I will feel alone, but I will not weep. I will not return until I am ready. When I am sure nothing else can be learned and nothing else to be done. Only then will I come back to see you, Otosan. So when you ask if I will be ok in leaving. Yes. If you ask if I am ok leaving you, then no. But if you ask if I am ok to do what is needed, no other questions remain." He smiled at her; the look of a father beaming down with delight as they finally grow up… it was both a happy moment and forever a sad day.

One last embrace and she turned before he saw tears. It was not 'goodbye', but 'I will see you soon' so no words passed between them and no word ever would for a long time.

The agreement had been made after requesting help from Yamamoto. In the concurrence Yamamoto agreed that Isuka could adopt the name Isuin and attend The Shinigami Academy. The only thing that remained an issue was Isuka's Reitsu, which still remained after a few months the same as before. In short 'Completely dangerous'. Yamamoto explained her pressure was at most an irritant to him, but to others, including Captains, may cause issues… until Isuka could control her Reitsu, she was to wear the a single white bracelet, made of the same stone that walled Seireitei in at all times.

The city of Rukongai was made up of different parts ranging from desolation to those of wealth. Isuin had decided she would be from the lesser scale. She wanted to know what it was like, to feel poor, to be poor and to have no one to help you. To pick a random number and just stick with it, as such she chose the 67th. She could not get away with much higher do to how she spoke and she was not good enough an actor to get by saying otherwise. Getting by as having lived in much lower numbers would have been easier, but she feared it may ruin the experience. She wanted it to be hard. She wanted to learn.

After walking the streets of district 67 she figured she understood the people well enough to get by. Places and some certain people; that was when she noted the time and headed towards district 2 where the academy would welcome its newest members. When she arrived she was surprised at how few the number of entrants there were. Shinigami with notable skill must be harder to come by than she assumed. It was then that a loud voice boomed over the 30 some odd people in the audience.

"Greetings People of Rukongai. We are glad to have you here was we introduce you to the inner city of Seireitei, where you will be trained with vigilance to become the best shinigami that you can master. Many of you may not make it through the course as it is long and harsh. Few of you will become great enough worth note, but I assure you, if you remain in the training class, you will become more than you were. With missions going out every day to the Living World to lessen Hollow encounters, you will not regret being a part of our society. First, I'd like to introduce you to Yamamoto Taicho, Captain of the first squad and his lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe. Chojiro fukutaicho will be over seeing your studies, but your teacher will be Tensei Ioda. You will be respectful and obedient in your learning as both your teacher and over seer are great assets and people of Soul Society...

As the man continued speaking Isuin found herself thinking and not hearing. She looked at the other men and women in the audience and realized most were younger than her. They had been picked as naturally gifted people and not for reasons like her own. They were different.

At the end of the row towards the far end a huge man loomed and when she looked she realized something rather frightening. He was glaring right at her. Isuin clenched her teeth and stared wide-eyed for a moment before looking away. Her heart beat hard and she couldn't help but imagine him tearing the whole place apart, yet she had to look again.

'_Stupid, stupid, STUPID!'_

Wild and aggressive looking she could tell the man was a Captain though she wondered about his mental state. His clothes were torn and bore no sleeves. His hair was spiked above his head and something silver hung from them as it reflected light this way and that. A scar ran down the left side of his face. He looked like a mass murder from the Living World or something and he gave the creeps so badly her gooseflesh had gooseflesh of their own.

"Now that everything is said and done you will be divided into groups from which you will train with and live with during that time. As such, training and other such activities remain inside the academy grounds and we ask that talk outside of the academy be neutral and not about the training course. Thank you." Someone hit Isuin's knee and knocked her out of her two completely different thoughts. She feared that somehow that weird man knew who she was and she wouldavoid him at all costs. Nothing must slip.

"Eh… Isuin!" She heard her name and thankfully walked away from the oversized man with the overly scary face.

"Yes."

"These will be your fellow team members. I wish you all well and please follow this gentleman to your new living quarters."

Isuin turned and greeted four other men and couldn't help like the choice had been biased… One woman stuck with four men… this was not going as planned already, but that was too bad.

"N-nice to meet you. I'm Y-yamada Hanataro, please t-t-treat me kindly." Ok, so this one was not so bad; a little skitterish, but polite.

"You sound like a girl Yamada-san. Don't be such a wimp." She turned around and glared at the idiot that though himself so high and mighty to speak down to others. And as she suspected he looked as much a jerk and he sounded.

"And you are?" He glanced at Isuin and his eyes roamed appraising.

"Kaname Tsuhitosa, and I don't want to be your friend. I don't want to even look at you, but if you're gonna be in my company bring her along. That's the only way I'll allow you to be in my presence." Isuin stared as if she heard wrong.

"I beg your pardon?" She was beyond shocked to think any person would speak in such a way.

"I said; 'they can't come around unless you come'. You're rather… attractive, so I'll put up with you." His eyes seemed as if they tried to memorize her face and irritation grew and she turned around.

"Awww… did that bother you little miss?" The place where she would snap was growing nearer and quickly.

"Do not speak to be with that foul mouth." Isuin looked at the two other men and hoped they'd be smart enough to keep any uncouth words to themselves, but Tsuhitosa didn't seem to understand she wanted nothing to do with him.

"There are some foul things my mouth can do that most women don't necessarily mind." In Isuin's mind she could hear the faint chime of bells and she turned around. She would have been able to swallow her rage if he hadn't worn the smile he did.

In a seconds passing Isuin drew her Zanpakuto and using flash step she came behind him, her blade pushing softly into the back of his neck.

"I will warn you once and once only. If you speak to me, do so where I will not wish to gut you like the foul creature you are. Otherwise…" She lifted the blade and touched its cold steel to his neck. "I will make sure no other word ever escapes these lips." She ran a finger just below his mouth and moved her blade away before kicking him forward.

"You little bi… ehh…" He turned with a curse on his lips, but became silent. That was when she looked down at the inhuman shadow that devoured her own. The shadow over top hers that had spikes and...

"Zaraki Taicho! This way please. I need a word with you." The man which had glared at her most intently waited a moment before turning around and with surprise the most adorable child clung to his back like some kind of leech. All she could see was bright pink hair and when she turned she waved at Isuin and then stuck her tongue out at Tsuhitosa.

"I will let it go this time seeing as you seem to have some connections with a Captain, but you pull that stunt again and that little trick of yours won't save you." Isuin turned and glared.

"Utter one word more and I'll cut out your tongue right now." He wanted to clearly say more, but he remained silent and stormed away.

"So you know a Captain? What's your connection with Zaraki?" One of the other men that remained outside the little spat with Tsuhitosa spoke up.

"I couldn't tell you. Personally, that guy is rather frightening looking. I don't' want to know what he wants with me." And she spoke no word of a lie. She knew of the name Zaraki and what it meant and she also knew that the man, Zaraki Kenpachi was a Captain who was infamous for his admission as a Captain to begin with.

"By the way; I'm Sasuki Kyoichi, and this is Sasuki Nao."

"You're brothers then?" Kyoichi nodded and tilted his head to his brother.

"He don't say much… well nothing at all, but he's a good kid. I'm older only by 5 minutes or so, but he's still my little bro. Be nice to him, un?" Ease washed over her face and she realized how rude she had been. She had an issue with rage when she was young, but no one had been around her with such a rude disposition to anger that which she assumed she'd grown out of.

The Twins Nao and Kyoichi looked almost identical, but Nao was slightly taller and leaner. His hair was darker brown then his older brother and Kyoichi was more tanned. The other idiot which she had threatened was average height and average weight. Black hair, wavy and tied behind his head, he was paler than she would have thought considering he was well muscled and she thought he might fight in public considering his attitude. Over all her group was not bad, but everyone had that one apple that was rotten inside and Tsuhitosa was it.

"I am Isuin. Just Isuin and I hope you will all treat me well. I hope that we can _all _get along and I am sure we will all teach one another much." She bowed before they were led to their personal rooms and were told they had one week before the start of class. They were suggested to learn the area and how to get to the academy of their own accord; Lateness would not be tolerated and Isuin grinned as she sent a message spelled in ink to Kazuma.

"_And so it begins…"_


	3. Chapter 3

Martial Arts, Kido, and Spirit Training. These were the lessons taught in the academy for Shinigami and Isuin was a genius in all three. She had the basics in the martial arts and her dance classes before coming and helped in more ways then she'd have thought. Spirit training came so easy to her that even Ioda sensei made comments. The only thing she warranted having overcome was Kido. Her demon arts before coming to Seireitei could have been bested by a child, but now she felt she could take on Kazuma without being drained for weeks after.

"Isuin. I have something I'd like to speak with you about, but I will have to wait till after today's lessons. Please wait afterwards so I can speak with you." Ioda sensei spoke kindly and was ever a supportive teacher. Isuin made sure to be the best she could be to live up to expectations he had about her.

"Yes sensei."

"Alright, today will be a day of sparring matches. We also have a visiting Captain to watch the proceedings so do your best. At the front of the room you will see a list of whom you will be paired with so find out who your partner is and wait till you are called. The pairing is based on each of your abilities, and to strengthen them I have set everyone's partner to another whose powers contradict each other."

"Can I ask who the Captain which will be overseeing us is?" Another shinigami spoke from the back end of the room.

"That would be division 11's Zaraki Kenpachi." A knot instantly formed in Isuin's' gut as she recalled the looming form of the giant man. Down the hall she could hear a faint jingle like bells and she sent a message to Kazuma.

"_Zaraki Kenpachi. I need to know about him and whether any news of my real identity has been leaked."_

"Rei-san!" Isuin turned and looked down to see the pink haired leech that clung to the Division Captain Zaraki's back.

"Eh? Rei-san?" Isuin shuttered… 'Rei' could mean a number of things ranging from Actress, cold , soul, ghost or zero… not knowing which term she meant set Isuin's hair on end. If she meant 'actor' then it was true that the Captain had guessed as to her identity.

"Ken-chan has come to see you today! Isn't that nice?" The entire room fell silent and chill that had nothing to do with the cooler breeze outside.

" Huh…? Why might that be?" Isuin stuttered just as Zaraki Kenpachi stepped into the room.

'_God's he is a huge man…'_

"So, you know Captain Zaraki… could it be that all your good luck is because you have been favoured by the Captain?" Isuin swung around where Tsuhitosa leaned against the wall mocking her, his grin tilted on a sideways angle.

"Not at all. You're just trying to find a reason why you can't beat me you piece of sh…"

"Enough Isuin." Ioda scolded her and told Tsuhitosa to mind himself.

"Yes Ioda-sama." She wanted to just beat the crap out of him… Tsuhitosa had made the class doubt her at every chance he had and she was not even given the chance to prove it was her own worth that was why she excelled…' _Damnable bastard…'_

"Now that the overseer has arrived please continue to find your partner and line up." Ioda gave her one last look and she acted like she hadn't seen it.

"You can't be serious!" Tsuhitosa cursed just as Isuin found her name on the board.

"Perfect." Isuin turned to him as he turned to face her; he was not impressed. "You're mine, Ketsunoana-chan." His face flared red as he balled his fist. "I'm going to literally make you eat your words." She walked away with the feeling of jubilee. She couldn't wait till she made him regret ever learning to talk at all.

"Ok, First pair!" Ioda called out and two men walked outside followed by everyone else. The outside arena was much like the one she had trained on with Kazuma so she was most pleased at her advantage.

The first pair ended with a rather bloody end. Healers were on the ready to clean up any wounds and the next pair came forward. After about 6 sparring matches had gone through, it was finally Isuin and Tsuhitosa's turn and where she was overly confident her positive attitude shrunk a little as he came up to the arena with a huge smile on his face.

"You should give up now." He mocked her further and she threw back at him the same smile as he'd given her.

"You read my mind… so you're not completely useless." He growled slightly and Ioda called for the match to begin, but before it did she eyed Zaraki. Through the whole process he'd ignored all 6 matches till now. His eyes now bore down on her and she looked away.

The match would be easy. Tsuhitosa relied too much on this Zanpakuto's abilities and did not learn to move with them and where he had trouble calling forth his Zanpakuto she had none. The only issue she had was that he was able to go into Shikai while Isuin could not. In this area alone he could master her if she was not careful.

"Sakibegoe Suihiru!" Taking a step back she wondered what he was up to. Normally he liked to engage in some fencing, but today he went right to what the whole match was about: overcoming weakness.

"Shitostu Sansen!" Above his head three spires of light formed and crashed down into both arms, but missing his midsection as he twisted to escape. He slammed down into the ground, dust billowing up around him as she stepped forward. He might be able to go into Shikai, but her Kido could defeat him any day.

His laugh seared threw the air and a strong wind blew all the dust away forcing her to put her hands in front of her eyes to shield herself. When she looked Tsuhitosa was not on the ground, only the light spires showed were he should have been.

"So sad… I'm afraid your little spells won't do much to me today." Her head shot up to the sky and he hovered above her.

"Get down here!" Isuin let out a scream, but recalled to keep her temper under control.

The air chilled as Isuin drew her Zanpakuto. The sword was Odachi style and very long. It had been difficult to learn to manoeuvre with such a long weapon, but her speed made up for the time it took to swing such a blade. Unlike a normal sword as the Zanpakuto were to begin with, hers did not seem to be made of steel of any kind. Instead it looked as if made of glass, crystal clear from hilt to sword end aside from the frosted looking glass that twined clear glass to make up the hilt it was one of few Zanpakuto types, most were Katana's or other newer makes of sword, but her predated the katana and was a very old type of sword.

"Come at me with all you got, little girl!" Swearing words that would make Kazuma twitch, she shot herself into the air and Tsuhitosa parried her attack.

Swing after swing both of them smashed their swords into each other. A seconds delay and she gave him a purposely imposed opening. Under her breath she muttered his down fall.

His sword struck her hard in the back, a necessary hit to take and he came falling closely behind, blue electric streaks sparking this way and that. He hit the ground a twitched a few moments and she stood over him.

"Tsuzuri raiden!" Palm down she slammed her hand into his chest and his back arched and he screamed.

"Dammit." Ioda stood up to call the match an end, but Zaraki stopped him. Being a Captain and Ioda being only a teacher, he felt obligated to listen, but this was his class and his students. Ignoring his own judgment he allowed the fight to continue.

"I find that funny, you call me out and yet you're the one on the ground practically licking my feet." She was instigating him and an enraged Tsuhitosa was just what she wanted. The other class members shocked with her words, hooted and hollered. Some didn't care for her words but there were others who hated Tsuhitosa so much that it was their pay-back as well, but every single one of them was excited and rooting for them.

"Licking your…? Let's make this fun then… if I win this match, you'll become my servant for the rest of the academy year." He lifted himself from the floor and wiped blood from his mouth. His right hand still twitched with electric shock and he wriggled his fingers to ease the feelings.

"And If I win?" He grinned and dug his foot in the ground.

"Who cares? If you win, which you won't, you can have whatever you want." Moving fast using flash step he rounded behind her and pulled his Zanpakuto, she saw it coming and from the side lines Ioda called for the fight to stop. Neither Isuin nor Tsuhitosa heard him or rather they ignored him.

Using his speed he had already mustered she untied her hair and using the long corded length to bind his right hand to his leg when she flipped him into the air. With a swipe he cut the tie, but it was already too late and when he seen her coming at him he swore at her.

"You dishonourable wretch!" Instantly she stopped her attack and Ioda thought for a moment she had ended the fight. She slowly walked up to him after he landed back on the ground and punched him right in the gut. He lurched forward and she kneed him in the head.

"Never so much as you…"

"Dammit Isuin! Tsuhitosa! I said stop long before." Isuin refused to look at him, knowing full well she was wrong to do as she had and then go get angry; Tsuhitosa was right. She had played unfairly.

"I think we are done for today. We will continue this tomorrow." Ioda turned around and a few other students walked to him to talk.

"No." Ioda stopped and Isuin turned to hear for the first time Division 11's Zaraki Kenpachi speak. "I want to spar after watching the last match." The air stopped moving and every student held their breath.

"You will have to find someone else to spar with Zaraki. I have other duties to perform today." Yachiru leapt on to Zaraki's back and lifted herself over his should to speak with Shuhei.

"Don't worry Da-san. He doesn't wish to fight you." Zaraki turned and faced what looked like Tsuhitosa and Isuin felt suddenly very bad for the poor fellow.

"There is no way I'm fighting him!" Tsuhitosa backed away from him and Isuin agreed. Battling with a Captain was far different than sparring with a fellow student. The distance between their levels of experience was… unfathomable.

"The difference in skill is too much, but I wish you luck Tsuhitosa-chan…" Isuin walked away from him, but before she passed Zaraki he stuck out his hand to stop her.

"You." Yachiru jumped off once more and sat down with legs crossed.

"You?" He couldn't be serious.

"I'll even restrict both my hands…" Isuin took a few steps away in fear as Zaraki's face contorted into some weird and fierce expression. She had only one word that could explain such a face and what he suffered from.

Bloodlust.


	4. Chapter 4

"You can't be serious!" Isuin mimicked Tsuhitosa's tone as she looked at the giant man with the bells atop his hair.

"Zaraki-Taicho, I'm sorry, but I cannot allow this." Zaraki turned a silent eye to Ioda and she prayed that he would not succumb to such a look. "These are my students and I cannot allow them to fight with you on any terms. Not when they are still in the academy... If they wish to find you for whatever reasons once they are out, then that is up to them. Until then, they are subject to my order." She could have kissed Ioda in that moment.

"Ah, Da-san is not being nice to Ken-chan…" Yachiru frowned and walked up to Isuin in the arena. "Will you come find Ken-chan when you finish the academy, Rei-chan?" She swallowed her thick tongue and attempted to speak.

She had to be diplomatic about this.

"If I feel I am ready to spar with… Zaraki-Taicho… then I will find you at Division 11, correct?" Ioda sighed, but smiled at the way she worded her 'proposal'.

"Great! Ok Ken-chan, let's go!" Zaraki said no word to her, but stared a moment before allowing Yachiru to leap on to his back once more.

"Bye Rei-chan, Da-chan!" When they both left she knelt down to the ground and grasped her head… it hurt to think that this man might one day come looking for her for whatever ulterior motive and worse to possibly battle.

"Is he serious? He can't want to fight her!" Tsuhitosa complained from the side lines and she was about to snap from his constant bickering. "What does he see in her? I'm the stronger one and he wants to fight with her?" She stood back up and walked away ignoring him.

"Hey Isuin…!" He was cut off by Kyoichi; Nao stood at his brother's side.

"That's enough, just drop it. Do you want to have your ass owned by someone like him? Be happy he wants her and not you so shut up." She thanked Kyoichi for his words… they made her feel better about having a monster that was going to be chasing her for god only knows how long.

"Whatever…" He walked away, but Nao grabbed his arm and pulled closer muttering something even Kyoichi could not hear. Tsuhitosa looked at him like he was insane and backed away.

"You stay the hell away from me you little freak…" It was the first time she had seen him react like that to anything… and even worse it was from something Nao said… To add on to the confusing, Nao stuck up a finger and wagged it back and forth. Tsuhitosa backed away and then speed walked from the room.

"Oy! What did Nao say to Tsuhitosa-san?" She caught up with Kyoichi and walked beside him.

"I have no idea… I didn't even think he could talk truth be told…" She looked at him disbelieving.

"Seriously?" He nodded his head.

"Umm… must be weird to have a twin that doesn't talk." She looked back at Nao who stood in the arena still. "Nao, Lets go get something to eat." He nodded his hooded head and ran to catch up. She stopped him with a hand and bowed her head to him and then to Kyoichi. "Thank you, both of you for doing what you did." Kyo went red and looked away.

"Ah hell… it was nothing. He was out of line." Isuin laughed and they walked out of the academy center to get something to eat.

They chose to eat in the more expensive end of town and Isuin refused to explain how she had the money to pay for all three of them to eat. The food she ate was so different from what she was used to and ended up ordering another bowl because it tasted so good.

"You eat like a man… jeeze, where to you put it all?" Isuin smiled with a mouth full of food and for the first time ever she had the feeling of being free.

When they finished all of them decided to go to a quiet place to talk and learn about each other. The streets were busy with all kinds of people. Children ran around everywhere and adults sold things at every corner. A young girl ran by closely chased by a boy that might have been her brother. He called after her as the girl passed by and almost knocked her down. The young boy that was right behind managed what the girl didn't.

"Hey!" Isuin sat up from the ground and when she got up she noticed the bag she kept her money in was gone and she chased after them both.

"Hey, they're just kids!" Kyo called after her and she screamed.

"They took my wallet! Get back here you little runts!" She heard the boy curse and take off down an alley and she followed him. Luckily the alley was a dead end and the boy cowered in the corner.

"Listen…" She breathed heavy and leaned on one side to catch her breath. "Stealing is wrong… it's not honourable. Give me back what you stole and I will forgive you. I'll even buy you dinner, your sister too if you can find her." The boy stood up from the corner and smiled.

"That's not gonna happen." She whipped around and was thrown back by a man in ragged clothes. "The money you got there can feed a family for a week. Feeding just these two isn't gonna help them any." She went to pick herself off the ground when something heavy fell on her back.

"Not so soon there honey." Another man sat on her back, stopping her from getting up.

"Get the hell off me you piece of shit…" She could barely talk with her chest being crushed.

"Ok.' He got up and picked her up with him. She was going to pull out her Zanpakuto, but he tossed her across the alley into the wall then fell. Something had been sticking out of the ground amongst the garbage and pierced her leg.

"Ah!"

The little boy walked over to the first man and handed over her money to him.

"That's better."

Isuin gripped her leg to stop the bleeding and tried to remove the metal spire which had stabbed through her. The pain was great and she only managed to twist the metal when she tried to yank it out. The bandits did seem to realize she had the wound and she tossed something over her leg to hide the fact hoping they'd just leave then she could call for help.

As the three went to leave the bigger man made an odd gurgling sound and crumpled to one knee.

"It's not nice to steal from such a charming young lady." She could not see the man who spoke and before the other bandit could even land a hit he toppled over, the boy ran away crying.

"Here…. T-take it." The man was tossed the bag of money and both rogues fled.

"Please help me…" The new man walked down the alleyway and set out a hand to help her up, but Isuin saw almost 3 different hands and could not find the focus to take the real one.

"I can't see properly... I can't move, please…" He smiled even if she couldn't see it and lowered himself to look closer at the situation.

"Hey… wait! Please! I can't get this out of my leg…" The man paused and looked back at the street ahead where women and men walked about their own business unaware of what happened in the alley.

"This is going to hurt a bit, lovely lady..." She tried to look at the man, but couldn't see anything but a wash of blurred colors. She was confused until she felt the tear of ripping flesh and sinew as the metal piece was torn from her leg.

"Ah!" The metal was not straight so when it pulled out it didn't cut but saw. She breathed heavy and tried to step forward and grabbed the wall when her leg tried to give out.

"T-thank you…" Isuin dragged her self towards the open street and the man stuck his hand under her elbow to hold her up. He did not speak.

With his hand supporting her she walked with mild difficulty to a small stall. The woman at the stall said she would run and get something to bandage the leg. Isuin missed the startled tone in the stall woman's voice.

"Again thank you." Isuin looked at him for the first time in proper light and swallowed her shock. He was such an attractive man.

"I will repay you somehow!" He smiled for a moment and turned; disappearing in the crowd. The woman appeared slightly after with another man, more than likely her husband.

"You're really lucky miss." The man wrapped the bandage just right so she could hobble over to the 4th district and perhaps have a healer take a look.

"Very lucky." The woman looked up and down the street before looking down at Isuin. The woman's face was flushed from perhaps running.

"You should be ok like this… I'm sorry we can't do much more."

"Nonsense. Thank you. As payment for your services… I'll… never mind. Kind lady, stick your hand in here and pull out in one grasp however much you can hold. That will be your payment." The man looked at Isuin strangely and the woman stuck her hand in.

"Oh! What is it honey?" The man looked over her shoulder as his wife pulled out a hand full of money.

"Holy crap!" Isuin laughed and leaned back in the chair before she got up to leave.

"This is too much… we cannot accept this." The man clearly wanted to tell his wife to be quiet.

"You would deny me repaying you?" The woman looked shocked and then relenting shook her head. "Then take this money. Spend it well and thank you again." Isuin stood with a little help from the man and she stumbled down the street.

After over three hours which it took to walk back to the academy dorm she was beyond tired.

"Let me in you guys!" She felt pathetic.

"Where the hell… What happened?" Isuin would have been embarrassed when Kyo picked her up and set her down in her bed, but she was too tired to worry about it. Between mouthfuls of water she explained what happened and fell asleep.

"So did you get the guy's name?" Isuin didn't answer and just before sleep took her completely she realized that the man had worn a Captains Haori.


	5. Chapter 5

The next few days were difficult. Isuin found it profoundly hard not to grind her teeth as healed flesh pulled and tightened. The night before while she slept Kyo had a healer from the fourth division come and see to her wound, but today was another day at the academy. Thankfully she did not need to fight today as she had done so the day before…

She closed her eyes to listen to the sound of people outside her bedroom window, drifting in and out of half sleep. The sound of twinkling bells in her ears kept her awake as she feared a certain Captain might be lurking somewhere to launch a surprise attack.

"I feel like…"

"Isuin… you up yet?" From the other side of the door Hanatarou's voice came. He was such a meek and silent boy and she found it interesting that he chose to become a Shinigami.

"Yes… I will be out shortly." Foots steps left from the other side and she gathered her clothes, as well as a towel from the linen closet to shower. After gingerly removing her garb she turned on the shower and stepped in. The water burned and she bit down on a wash cloth so she didn't hurt herself and quickly got out. She put on the traditional shinigami uniform and walked down as best she could to the lower levels where everyone by now would be eating.

"What the hell happened to you?" _Tsuhitosa…_ She really didn't want to spar with words today with him… she was not up to it.

"Not your, business now is it?" He scoffed at her and ignored the look he was getting from Nao.

"You're probably faking it any ways…" She was going to kill him. Fighting back the urge to slap him she sat down and grabbed a morning roll.

"Shut up Tsuhitosa." Kyo sat down and leaned towards him with a certain glint in his eye. "She's not in the mood to deal with you, but I'm sure if you keep it up she'll fix you right up. Just don't pester her today." Tsuhitosa leaned forward towards Isuin and grinned.

"You already whip the boy here, un? Is that what he was doing in your room last night?" Before Kyo could say anything to defend himself Isuin jumped from her chair and grabbed Tsuhitosa by the neck. With her other hand she pulled the front of her kimono aside so he could see her bandaged wound. His eyes widened and he blushed so she threw him headlong into the wall before sitting back down.

"Apologize, Tsuhitosa." She looked down at her food as she ate.

"I-I'm sorry…" She looked up and smiled so sweetly that he stepped back.

"Not to me. You didn't offend me and I know very well my honour is pristine. You insulted Kyoichi-san. He's the one you should be saying it to." Balling his fist for a moment he looked away and held is other hand over his mouth.

"I guess she is right… What I said was wrong… I'm leaving." He walked away and slammed the door behind him.

"Good enough." Isuin set down her food barely eaten. The pain was enormous and hungry was the last thing on her mind as the constant throbbing of her leg kept every other thought at bay. Sad enough the healer that came to visit her complained that the wound would need time to heal of its own seeing as his arts only healed it part of the way.

"Uh… yeah. We should go." Kyo set his hand out to help her up, but Nao was already doing so.

"Thank you Nao." They had to leave early that morning as Isuin could not walk as fast as normal. Actually she could barely walk at all. After only getting half way her leg had swollen and with rising embarrassment Kyo had to carry her.

"Thank god… Not that I mind or anything, but you're not as light as you look…" He set Isuin down as softly as he could and Ioda stood waiting at the main door.

"May I speak with you? I didn't get to do so as I'd have liked before in all the confusion, but… today I will speak before class. Come with me, please." Following Ioda, Isuin thought of all the things he might have to say which needed be done in person. "Please sit down." Thankfully she took the offered seat and waited.

"It has come to my attention first of all, that you have become injured. Is this correct?" The only person to know she was injured was Tsuhitosa and he had even left early today… So he ratted her out.

"Slightly so, yes. It's nothing to worry about I assure. It will heal and with no limits. Please ignore Tsuhitosa and his prattling."

"It was not him which told me of your injury, but as your teacher I will have to look. I understand that a member of the healing squad came to see you as well?" She nodded and pulled away the layers of clothes to show the swollen limb.

"Ah. This is not so well taken care of. Your walking on it didn't help any, either... Right now you should be at rest. I will excuse you from lessons until you are well."

"NO!" She would not allow this. She wouldn't allow the class to get ahead of her and set her back because of some rogues in the street. "If you remove me from class I will continue to train unattended, where if something happens I will not be found. I will not be set aside for… for this." She went to stand up as she always did when arguing and the wound ripped. Blood trickled down her leg and black dots swam in and out of her vision.

"Isuin. sit." She shook her head in defiance. "Now." She listened. As his request had turned into a demand she had no choice by his rank, but as head of a house she could have had him kneel to her if she so chose.

"You will rest until well enough to continue." He waved his hand to stop her from speaking. "At that time you will continue your training under a new teacher. Until that time comes… you will obey your teacher and his wishes." What little blood she had in her drained away.

"Do not throw me out Ioda -sama! Don't drop me because this injury!" He smiled and looked down at her kindly.

"I am not dropping you at all. As it is, your training here is finished is all. You have surpassed all other students and have learned all you can from this place. You have been requested as a shinigami already to enter a squad as well and thus I can no longer train you. Your Taicho will see you to further your education from here on out." She was without words…

"Seriously?" It had been two years since beginning training out of a three year program. She found it impossible to have learned all she could.

"Yes. You have been chosen to take a seat in Division 8 under Kyoraku-Taicho. I am very proud to have taught such a student as you and your friends are right behind you due to your vigilance. You have much to be happy for today." She still couldn't get it into her head. In just under two years she had been accepted as a member of the Gotei 13.

"I will inform your new Captain of your injuries and that you will be resting prior to beginning your term under him. I believe your friends will help you to move your things considering your state." Isuin sighed and could not think much anymore. The dots had subsided, but a searing pain had taken its place.

"Thank you, for everything. I doubt under anyone else's tutelage that I would have made such an impression with my talents. I have much to thank you for. "

"Yes well… never mind all that. I do have to begin class and you will have to return home. I can send Nao as his match is not till the end. Will you be fine that way?"

"Yes. I should be able to make it fine, ah yes… If not Tsuhitosa-san that spoke to you, whom told you I was injured?" She stood in the door way leaning slightly to take the pressure off her leg.

"That would be Kyoraku-Taicho. I would make it your best interest to thank him when you are able. You were lucky to have been found by a Captain." Isuin wasn't sure if she had imagined the white Captains' coat, but now she was sure of it.

She nodded and went outside to wait for Nao to come, but she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Zaraki-Taicho!" She wanted to hide under a rock.

"We heard that you were injured during a Captains' meeting today. Measures have been put in place to prevent what happened to you in that area. Isn't that great? We wanted to make sure you were also ok. See, we both came to see you." A flash of pink floated down before her and Isuin looked down to see Zaraki's lieutenant Yachiru. Isuin couldn't imagine the powers such a person might have if at such a young age she managed to fill the position of 'fukutaicho'.

"Ah, yes… I will have to be bedridden for a while, but I am told I will be perfectly fine. Surely you didn't come just for me?" She was hoping not, otherwise it proved just how much trouble she was going to be in later.

"You will be entering 'his' squad." Zaraki's raspy voice was cold.

"Ah, yes… I was requested due to my diligence in class. I have passed the academy a year early because my learning as been fast." She wondered what about Kyoraku that made Zaraki disapprove and she was at least happier knowing Zaraki seemed not to like him.

'Hmph' was all he said before walking away. The weight of a thousand cities fell on her shoulders with such an answer and only half of it washed away when he left… such a feeling of foreboding make her feel sick.

"Ah, Nao… I really have to go home… I can't escape them. They're everywhere!" Isuin thought in her head about the amount of Captains she had 'bumped' into over the last while and cursed. At this rate she was going to meet all of them and surely one would now of her… One of them would know she was not some girl from the 67th district and was the Shihoin head.

Nao dipped his head to lower himself so he could grasp her arm and help her walk. The pain in her leg had faded, surprisingly, as she walked into the house. She stopped for a moment mid-step and toppled over; her body was cold to touch when Nao felt her skin, but her head burned with fever and when he went to get help he slipped in a pool of blood. When he looked out the doorway there was a steady trail of blood leading back the way they'd come.

"Shit." Nao ran to get help, from somebody, anybody that could do anything. Blood was the one thing Nao hated and the sight of it made him ill beyond help. From the floor Isuin stuck her finger in the slowly growing pool of blood and rubbed it between her fingers.

"_Kazuma…. Everything… is going well… I will make Shihoin's name great in no time… at….. all…"_


	6. Chapter 6

A month had passed and Isuin's body had finally begun to show signs of coming back. For the first two days she had been so critical in condition the Kyoichi thought she might die. Even Tsuhitosa came once to see her while everyone else was out. She had other visitors as well. Although not accompanied by Zaraki, Lieutenant Yachiru had come and sat by her side leaving candy for when Isuin woke. Other members of the academy had come as well, but Nao and Kyoichi had been with her most.

Besides having lost a severe amount of blood and the wound getting infected she had been accompanied by a hallucinations induced by fever. She had often called out for a mother she did not know and the father whom had died while she was young. She had also called for Kazuma, but luckily no one took the name for being a real person or did not make the connection back to Shihoin.

When she had finally healed enough her first waking hours had been a mass blur.

"You must stay in bed." A voice she did not recognize spoke and she leaned back in the bed. Her eyes could not see as everything was a mass of washed colors.

"Where am I?"

A new voice answered her, one she did know a few moments later."You're in the care of Division 4 by request from Captain Kyoraku. You have been very ill due to your wound. Nao saved you.

"Kyo…Kyoichi… I can't see." At her side a hand gripped hers; she knew it was Nao.

"Nao… thank you again. You both are ever at my side… you are… great friends."

"You have to rest… I heard that your Captain would come to see you when you woke to greet you properly."

"I see." Isuin grit teeth and moaned when she moved her leg.

"Ah, little Isuin-chan. You have to rest."

God's there were too many voices she thought.

"Kyoraku Taicho… We'll leave you alone." Kyoichi and Nao left, the door closing behind them.

"You haven't even come to my division and you are bedridden… Nanao will be sure to punish me for it, I'm sure." His voice was full of life and cheerful.

"I am sorry to displease you Kyoraku Taicho-sama." Again he chuckled and his voice buzzed with familiarity.

"No need, all I ask is that for now, you heal and return and take up your duties. I will see that you are well cared for as you have been."

"Thank you… Taicho." Isuin's eye finally began to clear and she could see a vague bit of pink.

"Is… Is Yachiru fukutaicho here?" He was confused and sat in a chair next to her bed.

"No… why do you ask?" She shook her head so as to have the comment ignored.

"That is because even though he is a Captain he dresses unbefitting of his title." The voice was serious and somehow still respectful.

"Ah, Nanao-chan… my dear beautiful Nanao-chan. What brings you here today?" The sound of furniture shifting and the sound of birds outside helped bring Isuin's senses into clearer perspective.

"I have been looking for my errant Captain whom has ignored all of his duties today thus far. You must return now and complete them." Isuin couldn't imagine a lieutenant getting away with talking to any captain the way she was.

"How can I work when one of my subordinates is so pained and bedridden?" He chuckled and Isuin could finally see almost perfectly.

"Please forgive me Nanao-fukutaicho for detaining Kyoraku-Taicho." Nanao looked down at her new subordinate with respect. Something Isuin had not been expecting.

"That is fine for now. Please heal well, when you return I will explain all of your duties under division 8." Isuin acknowledged and sat up as best she could.

"All of these flowers… where have they all come from?" She spoke to herself and not really to her superiors, but Nanao read a few of the tags on the gifts of well wishing.

"These are from students at the shinigami academy. You seem to be rather admired... I hope you serve division 8 well. You also have… candy... from division 11's vice-captain. I would like to ask you something that I am interested in: a note was made on your chart referring to the silver rings on your wrist. We were told not ever to remove them from you. May I ask why?" Isuin's heart beat out of control as she raked her mind for a reason other than the truth.

"Heirlooms… I requested they not be removed as there are very dear to me and have never left my hands before… please forgive me if my request caused issues as to my care." Isuin hoped that her weak story was enough.

"I see. Captain Kyoraku and I will leave to your bed now. Please do not overtax yourself." Both Nanao and Kyoraku left and Isuin sank heavily into her bed.

"God's"… she recalled having the spelled ink on her arms and contacted Kazuma hoping against hope that he had not heard of her condition.

"_Kazuma-sensei. How does the house stand in my absence?" _She received no answer. He must be busy and not able to reply. She would send a message again later.

After hours passed and no one else coming to see her Isuin forced herself from bed; She had ever hated being sick as it called for rest in bed. She hated staying still. Smelling the flowers she reread the notes tied to the gifts, but one of them had no name. She did not know who sent this one. It was a beautiful flower bearing large blue flowers and their smell was the strongest in the room. It was a very pleasing scent. She was about to bring the blue flower to her bed side when bells chimed and she dropped the pot shattering it on the ground.

_Silent, soft and sweetly frozen, whispering in the night. Why do the stars shine when alone I sit, silent, soft and sweetly frozen?_

Isuin stopped and her breath grew hot having kept it in.

"Who's here?"

_Locked away in wonder's keep, I passed the halls and often sleep, inside away beyond thy walls with you always, awaiting your fall._

"Who are you?"

_Lock me, hide me, and keep me bound. Break me, find me, and set me free, for all the spirit worlds I wish to see._

"Who are you talking to? Are you still seeing things? Hearing things?" Isuin swung around so fast that she slipped and grabbed the bed to stop her fall. At the door Hanatarou stood with an orderly from the fourth division.

"Ah, no. I heard you down the hall, but it sounded as if it was in the room. I don't yet see right and my hearing is off, That is all." The voice had not been from Hanatarou nor the woman at his side. It had been a woman, but Isuin could tell it was not the healer's; internal instinct.

"You seem much better then when you first arrived. You are still suffering from a fever so you must remain in bed. I will clean up the flower as well." Isuin looked down at the flower having forgotten it.

"I'm sorry. I dropped it. If you could hassle yourself with replacing the pot I'd much like keeping the flower. Do you know who brought it?" The healer shook her head. She did not know.


	7. Chapter 7

Again Captain Kyoraku came to visit his bed ridden underling. It had been another week before they allowed Isuin to walk about, but only so long as she remained in the 4th division boundaries and Isuin was fed up.

"Taicho-sama, I request permission to leave the 4th division. I can't stay here like this anymore. I have to move and walk about… It's not that I don't enjoy the division here or anything, but I'm going insane. Please, Taicho…" When Isuka was young she had a penchant for being ill. Her lack of wishing to be in bed to recover was derived from this… being stuck behind walls she was not allowed to leave and felt like a prison sentence for her, because of that also she had grown a slight case of claustrophobia and now the walls of the fourth division seemed to close on her.

"Isuin-chan, I can't. What would Nanao-chan do to me if she found out I'd let you out to wander alone and wounded?" Lazing back in the chair provided and pouting, Isuin pleaded to be allowed out of her own accord. "It would be bad to have you relapse while away from care."

Walking around the room she stopped to look out the window and thought of just escaping despite her Captain's orders.

"Please Kyoraku-Taicho… Give me a small errand to run, anything, but I have to get out of this place." This seemed to change her Captain's view of things if only a little. In just the short period of time which she had known her Captain she understood one very important thing: He was lazy and left all his work to Nanao. Although Nanao would do as her captain ordered without fail, if her Captain could get away with doing no work and hide it from his lieutenant, he would. He was also the most caring man she had ever met aside from Kazuma.

"I guess that wouldn't be so wrong… and I do have some things which can be delivered to the other divisions… If I allow you to go, you must swear that you will not over tax yourself. If you get injured further, Nanao will be... most unpleased." Still looking out the window Isuin smiled almost malevolently.

"Yes, Kyoraku-Taicho." Isuin smiled widely. She thought she would have to pick up the things to be delivered, but instead from his Captain's coat he pulled out a stack of papers and handed them to her; He must have known she would ask and he had already set himself to allow it. Isuin had gained a new sense of respect for him in one single day, that it might have taken months to garner otherwise.

"Don't let Nanao find you; else you will be on your own." He waved his hand casually as he left and at her bed side she saw her shinigami uniform folded nicely.

"Thank you, Taicho." She ordered the papers and began to leave the room via the window. She hoped that Kyo and Nao would not visit today or least not find her while she walked about. She was positive both would drag her back to bed and tie her down to ensure she healed.

"First matter of order is… Division 5." It was annoying not knowing the names of all the other Captains, and she was irritated even more with Kazuma; despite her asking for their information, he had not returned any message. She wandered aimlessly, not knowing which building was the division's headquarters and stopped to take a breather. She refused to ask for help as she was too proud and felt weak having such an injury.

"You look lost." Isuin looked up and stared into the eyes of a man in glasses. He had warm brown hair and stood surprisingly tall considering his demeanour.

"Ah, no. Not at all. I am resting. I have things which need be delivered to the Captain of division 5." After having said that the man stuck his hand out to her.

"Then I will accept them as Captain of division 5." He smiled and she wanted to hit herself. She hadn't known he was a captain at all.

"Ah yes, so sorry Aizen-taicho. Here… these are yours." She passed the papers marked with his division's symbol and he took them sliding them into his coat.

"May I ask which division these come from today?" Isuin stood and bowed in respect.

"They have been delivered from 8th division's Kyoraku-Taicho. I am 5th seat Isuin and am honoured to have met with you today." His smile widened a little with her polite response and rather pleasing comment.

"Thank you. That will be all from you today Isuin-san." Bowing again Captain Aizen left her to continue her duties.

The next division on her list was the 2nd, and she knew mildly where that was located due to previous conversations about its new Captain and having a blood relation to its previous captain. She had little problem finding it in the long run, and when she finally walked through the front doors of the main entrance she was greeted by a very large man stuffing a large amount of junk into his overly large mouth. It was most disgusting.

"May I speak with Captain Soi Fon or her Lieutenant; I have come to deliver some papers from Division 8." The man stopped stuffing food in his face and puffed up his chest to try and make him look perhaps fatter. She could not tell.

"I'm Marechiyo Omaeda, Lieutenant of the 2rd division. I'll take them off your hands and give them to our Captain. "

"Thank you so much Marechiyo fukutaicho. I will be on my way as I have other things to deliver." Isuin just wanted away from his bulky form. When she turned around sub-captain Marechiyo yelled at some one behind in another room and before Isuin made any rude comments towards his conduct she left.

"What an obnoxious man…" She sighed and looked the next item on her list and ignored the now slow pulse of pain in her leg. To her it was nothing to worry about.

"Ah, excuse me." Isuin walked up to a man who looked like he knew the area. Blonde hair hung over his face and he looked nice enough to help her out.

"Yes?" He stopped walking to allow her to catch up. "Can I help you miss?" She was irked with being called 'miss' so often today, but ignored that too.

"I was wondering if you might help me." She was about to ask for directions despite hating to do so when a silver haired man in a Captain's coat stood behind the blonde, coming into view.

"Izuru, I'll take this." Izuru left and she bowed at his leaving. "So you must be the new seat holder under Kyoraku, un?" She couldn't help but want to step away, but she knew it would be rude. His creepy smiling face sent a shiver down her spine which she could not suppress. "Are you cold, Isuin-chan?" She didn't like being made fun of. He knew she wasn't 'cold', the sun was high in the afternoon sky and the weather had been above average lately.

"No I am not. I have something for you." She handed him the papers and before she could place them back in her coat he swiped another Captain's papers as well. "Ah wait. Those are someone else's Captain…" She didn't know his name so she stopped.

"That's fine… I am going to see Tosen-Taicho right after I leave you. I'll make sure he gets them for sure, don't' worry. You can trust me." She doubted that, his smile and not having opened his eyes even once in the whole conversation so far was… off putting.

"I see, but it is my responsibility. Kyoraku-Taicho would be most displeased if he thought I was being assisted." It was true, but she just didn't want him to have the satisfaction of taking things from her.

"Don't' worry. If he asks you can just tell him Captain Ichimaru took them from you. He won't punish you if I stole them. Not like you can get them back, un?" She wanted to tell him he could bet she could, but that was most unwise as she knew she couldn't overpower a captain.

"Then I will be on my way." She turned and walked away without bowing to him. She didn't like him at all, but it was rude and she stopped mumbling 'Dammit' under her breath.

"Thank you for your help today. It was a pleasure having met you, Ichimaru-Taicho." His smile broadened and he leaned over just slightly.

"Was it now?" He walked away. She wanted to hit him and beat him within an inch of his life, but shoving the urge down she swallowed her pride and stormed off.

"Stupid ass… thinks he's so great… can't stand him. Can't stand any one like him." She was moments away from screaming.

"Isuin?" She jumped having the life scared out of her and when she turned to see Kyo looking at her. She hadn't noticed she was so close to the academy.

"Ah, hi."

He glared at her.

"You're not to be out. You haven't been released have you?"

"No, but I have temporarily been released to aid my Captain for the day. Nothing hard, and I'm resting often…" She was lying and he knew it. She had been leaning on her better leg and he could tell she was ignoring the pain.

"You sure?" She rolled her eyes.

"Yes. You shouldn't be questioning a seated member you know." She toyed with him and he smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. You're not gonna let me hear the end of that until I get a seat in some division are you?" She laughed and he sighed. "Well, I have to go back. Classes are starting up again- Learning fun stuff today." He said it mockingly and she smiled again.

"Yeah, me too. While I'm at it… do you know where I can find… 10th division and 6th division? The other I know I can find, but these two I'm not so sure. And… what are the Captain's names?" She ran her finger through her hair, waiting for the sarcastic comment about having not known the Captains names, but it never came. Instead Kyo pulled out a piece of paper and in rough scribbles wrote down directions and names.

"There. I gotta go. I'll see you later for sure." And he took off.

"Ok… and… Division 10 is closer."

Isuin felt like she had walked a marathon by the time she got to division 10. Kyo's directions were so wrong he had lead her to division 13 and had to deal with a pair of morons argue over who was good enough to pass the information on to their captain.

"Is anyone here?" The open hall was empty and no voice answered. She didn't know where else a Captain might be detained and she knew she was going to have to wait or else have to walk back later.

"Dang…"

10 minutes passed… 30 minutes passed... and then another hour before another arguing set of voices came closer. As soon as she saw the silver hair and the young body she knew who she was looking at and joy rose up in her.

"Ah, Hitsugaya Taicho-sama. I am Isuin from division 8 and have some papers for you." Of all the people in Soul Society she knew two captains prior to becoming a shinigami or even the head of Shihoin. One was her cousin's replacement for Division 2, Soi Fon and the other was the boy prodigy. She admired him for being able to become a Captain so young and lead so well. She wished she would have had his abilities to further the restoration of the Shihoin house.

"Eh? Hello Isuin-san." Captain Hitsugaya came forward and Isuin fought down the urge to shake his hand like an idiot.

"You're the new seated member under Kyoraku right?" The other woman with… large assets stepped forward and stuck out her hand. "Yes, I am. It's a pleasure to meet both of you. It really is an honour to meet you Hitsugaya-Taicho." Pleased that Isuin didn't see him as a child and spoke politely like all members of Seireitei should he took the papers from her hand and she bowed lower than she had for any other captain so far.

"Thank you Isuin. I will make sure to send good news to your Captain about your work today." Isuin flushed having received such a comment from him and bowed yet again.

"Ah, no need to be so stiff Isuin. He's not so high and mighty to make you beg at his feet, right Toshiro?" Isuin cringed at hearing the woman calling him by his first name. She didn't think they had such a good relationship for her to call him with so much familiarity.  
>"Matsumoto…" Hitsugaya's voice grew dark and she laughed clapping her hand on Isuin's back.<p>

"Come on, We'll leave Mister grumpy to himself and I'll help you with what ever else you have to do."

"Ah, well thank you… fukutaicho." Isuin didn't recall her name and was not going to call her by her first by any means.

"OK... so where to next?"

"Ah… that would be division 6." Matsumoto smiled and ignored her Captain's glare of irritation.

"Then it's off to see Captain Kuchiki, then. Let's go." And Isuin was dragged off by Matsumoto.


	8. Chapter 8

"Wait… Matsumoto-sama… I can't run like this." Isuin gripped her leg painfully and refused to look at it. She knew she surely pulled a stitch or something worse.

"Well why didn't you say so?" The woman released Isuin's arm and slowed to a walk. She walked behind trying to force the heavy breathing down and was failing miserably.

"I did…" Isuin muttered, but Matsumoto didn't hear.

"Ok, so is this the last place you have to go? Not much if I wanted to get out of doing work…" She sighed and crossed her arms. The pink scarf around her billowed in the gust that blew through the street, picking up leaves and other debris along with it.

"So this is it… I'm gonna leave you here and find a ramen stall… I'm starved." And as quickly as she had set herself on Isuin she was gone. Isuin heaved in a deep breath and sat a moment before she would give the last papers away. She almost didn't want to because then she would have to return to her room and rest…

"You are Isuin from division 8, correct?" It was not really a question and tired she tilted her head to the side before shooting to her feet.

"Ah, yes Taicho." She had no idea which captain this was as she had yet to meet them all.

"You are injured." Jeeze… did everyone have to know about her injury?

"I have been sent by Kyoraku-Taicho to deliver papers to the Captains of all the squads. Please accept these on my Captains behalf." For a moment he said nothing and while she stood with her heart pounding from pain and having to undergo the scrutiny of a Captain, She handed the last remains of the stack of papers she had started with and bowed. He took them with a slight nod of his head. Her leg started to shake under her and she forced herself to stay as still as possible. She would not have every Captain know she was so wounded she could barely stand and if word came back that she was hurt badly her Captain might not allow her out again.

"Return to your Captain." He was about to turn and leave thankfully, but she could no longer hold her own weight. She grabbed onto the back on the bench she had been sitting and he looked back just to watch her stumble around. She grit her teeth and bit down on her tongue to force her mind on some other pain other than her leg. She tasted copper in her mouth and the pain in her leg receded. "Thank you Taicho-sama" She bowed and turned to walk away before she did anything else to prove she was so incapable.

The sun was high but despite that she felt cold everywhere and shivered.

"Stop!"

She paused and almost thought she heard someone speak but started walking again seeing as there was no one around her to call out. She was hearing things. That was when she toppled onto the dirt path; the last remains of wakefulness she had she used to claw herself forward, small rocks dropped away from her hand as her body went limp and blackness took over once more.

A hand came down to pick her up and then moved away.

"She's cold. Like ice!"

"Bring her." In some distant part of her she knew she was being moved around, she just didn't know where.

"You're awake." She opened her eyes and looked into the cold grey eyes of an equally grey man. His hair hung behind him and as he spoke his moustache twitched.

"Good evening eh… Ootoji-sama." She had no idea who this man was to give him a title so she stuck with being polite despite that. In response to her word he gave a light nod and sat beside her.

"I am Kuchiki Genrei. I am pleased to meet you, Isuin Reifujin." Isuin stiffened under the bed covers. One only called another Reifujin if she was of noble background and this man looked old enough to be able to assume her proper background.

"You must be mistaken, so please. Isuin is enough." The man, she just realized as having the last name Kuchiki gave no smile but picked up something from the bed side. It was her Zanpakuto. He looked at it and turned it over in his hands before returning it to her.

"Thank you." She set it down and she watched his eyes follow it. "Does something bother you Kuchiki-sama?" He looked at her and for a moment looked as if he would not say.

"Not so much as bother, but your sword brings back rather nostalgic memories that have grown foggy with age. That sword I have seen before. It has been in another's hands once before yours." Her skin crawled with the implications. It was taboo for any two shinigami to own the same sword. If such a situation came about, and it had very rarely before, the two shinigami were forced to battle and kill the other to claim ownership of the Zanpakuto in question.

"Do not worry. You have to worry of no such contest or anything else. The last owner is long gone now; it is a marvel to see it once again though." She feared to ask of the previous owner of her sword, but he answered her question with having to ask. "Shiroshin… she was once wielded by my late wife. She was a beautiful woman. I wonder, does such a thing like a sword change? She never even at the time of her death could understand much of what the sword told her... Seems it spoke in riddle and rhyme." Isuin sat up from her chair dumb founded. It was the same thing she was going through now.

"You know of Shiroshin? You know of _her_? How might I learn to cope with her ways, learn from her?" His face gentled only slightly while he clearly thought on matters of the past.

"I do not know. I was able to explain some things to my wife though. Shiroshin speaks not the truth. While speaking in rhyme you must also know she speaks backwards. Not in words, but in meaning. If she was trying to say to you she loved someone, it would come out as her hating them. It is a sign of the user's conflictions... Perhaps it was just my wife, but it was as if her sword had two personalities, one the voice of the wielder and then the sword itself.

"That's true. I have heard voices and the bells… Do you know of the bells?" His eyes remained an enigma; she was not able to tell what the man was thinking like she could almost everyone else.

"She once spoke of hearing bells that chimed." Isuin's sigh of relieve was heavy.

"Thank goodness… And I was thinking Captain Zaraki was always at my heels…"

"Captain Zaraki? He keeps after you?" He misunderstood, but rightly so.

"Ah, not so much. He came once to my academy class and asked to spar… thankfully Ioda-sama denied him. He was also there at the opening ceremony and came to speak with me… why, I do not know, but he is a frightening man." Genrei agreed when someone announced a visitor.

From the door walked in Captain Kyoraku and Captain Kuchiki. Isuin's good mood faded like a snowflake on the palm of your hand.

"I'm sorry Taicho, to have failed you." Blaming Matsumoto was no excuse for her further injury. If she had just swallowed her pride she'd have told Matsumoto about her leg before hand. For some reason he smiled when another walked in from the door. It was Nanao. Isuin cursed repeatedly.

"We will take our subordinate now. Please forgive us for having to take your time to care for her. We are very thankful." Isuin shrank in her bed. Nanao looked... most displeased. A quick and dismal glance told Isuin she was right; Kyoraku, on the other hand, seemed relieved only that she was safe.

"Ah, please allow me to thank Kuchiki-Taicho and Kuchiki-sama for their care. I am sorry for having caused you so many problems." Only Genrei nodded and Nanao followed Kuchiki-Taicho out.

"May I request your audience sometime soon; at your convenience of course?"

"Of course Kuchiki-sama." She bowed much lower then was needed and Kyoraku gave a small laugh.

"Kuchiki Genrei is not so harsh to scold a woman sick in bed, but I will be taking her back with me now. Thank you, former Captain." '_So he was once a captain as well_…' She was just knee deep in captains. They were all over the place.

"I would like to see Isuin-Reifujin once more when she is well. That's if it is no problem with you and will not get in the way of her duties." Kyoraku nodded and with a small hand helped Isuin from her bed.

"Thank you again and… oh wait." Isuin whipped out a small something from her coat. She had carried it around as a charm for luck and good health. "I would be very honoured if you would accept this simple gift" Genrei turned over the small gem in his hands.

"May I ask what this is?" He had an idea, but he had been long outside from the world and his memory failed him in smaller matters.

"This stone is given from people out of respect. The stone is said to embody humility and responsibility. Also honour and generosity. I believe these to be things that the Captain already has, but as I doubt many would say so directly to a captain. I thought it would be a nice gesture." Genrei smiled and placed the crimson stone in his coat.

"I accept your gift happily." She nodded once more and began the long walk back to her division beside her Captain. She remained outwardly silent about the fact she knew that Genrei knew who she was, but had never the less remained silent.

"You're not mad that Nanao found out are you?" Kyoraku smiled lazily and tipped his hat forward.

"Not at all. She's a good woman and she would have found something else to yell at me for anyways." They both walked back talking about light matters and simple things like sake. Both had an avid love for the rice wine as well and promised when she was better that they would enjoy a moments reprieve to enjoy it with Nanao if she'd come.


	9. Chapter 9

3 weeks had passed and finally word had come back from Kazuma. Isuin's body had healed perfectly despite the wound being reopened on a few occasions and a small scar ran down the inside of her leg. Daily she ran little duties as required of her seat, but mostly her time was spent training. The thing that made doing that tough came back to Kazuma. Everything came back to him and she found herself lost in her own mind without him.

"That is all for today… you seem very preoccupied today and do not seem to be able to set aside your other matters. You will not be able to communicate with your Zanpakuto if you continue like this. As such, we will return to what I asked before; can you recall any thing Shiroshin has said to you in the past?" Isuin dropped her arms to her side and taking a cloth, wiped sweat from her face.

"… I can't recall. Nothing comes to mind of anything she has ever said. It's like I said... I thought I was maybe losing my mind." Genrei sat down from instructing Isuin and placed his hands atop his lap.

"Can you remember what you were doing at the time? What you might have been thinking?" Isuin recalled vividly dropping the planter on the ground. The one with the large blue flower.

"Yes. Normally I hear only the faint chime of bells. Like when I was going to spare with Tsuhitosa, but I first heard them... in a sparring match before entering the academy." Genrei seemed to sense something in what she said and she continued. "Perhaps it was impending danger that sets off the ringing of the bells."

_"Silent, soft and sweetly frozen, whispering in the night. Why do the stars shine when alone I sit, silent, soft and sweetly frozen?"_

"Isuin?" Genrei stood up and set his hand on her shoulder and ice formed on his palm. He quickly removed his hand and brushed the ice away. "Isuin!" Pulling out his own Zanpakuto he released a large amount of Reitsu to try and over power her, but with a small gesture she brought her hand to her wrist and pulled at the white circle that wrapped around her wrist. "Stop!" Isuin had not told any person of the 'soul eater' bracelet, but he could know. In Isuin's mind she could tell he knew what it was, but how she did not know.

"_Lost inside the empty abyss, wishing for what I sorely miss. Release me from my frozen cage and kill the world in silent rage."_

The air began to grow cold and Genrei could see his breath. Thinking quickly with fear of what might happen when the bracelet was removed, he spoke back revealing the truth behind the riddle.

"Lost inside the empty abyss, hoping for what was gravely amiss, released now from your unlocked cage to free the world from human rage." Isuin turned around and a mystical looking over-shadow of someone else stood over her. The bracelet was in her open palm before she turned her hand over allowing the thing to fall away. Reitsu pinned his body to the wall on the far end of the room, bells chimed where no bells hung and ice crept along the ground forming markings like snow design.

"Isuin, you must suppress your Zanpakuto. You cannot allow yourself to mend with a Zanpakuto!" Genrei chanted a spell of fire and then one to shield himself from the bite of frost which made him slow.

"Shiroshin, you must stop! If this continues you will kill her!" The wind that had blown throughout the room stopped and it seemed to him like the world had stopped. She turned and walked towards Genrei and slid a hand over the shield which protected him, ice forming where her finger trailed.

"_Screaming, horrible, impossible, repulsive, obliterate, sadist, hollow, impede, negating."_

_"Silent, beautiful, earthly, desire, create, honour, free, sanction." _Genrei called back the opposites of the words she used to try and at least placate her, but her rage swelled and the ice began to climb up the walls.

"_Screaming, horrible, impossible, repulsive, obliterate, sadist, hollow, impede, negating!" _Shiroshin never spoke a word, instead the room seemed to be her voice and the words bounded off the walls and echoed down the hall. Given the spirit pressure he doubted anyone would be able to get in without suffering or perhaps falling to the pressure.

"I…. I know who you are…. I know what you are…" Isuin forced her mouth to work for her._ "Screaming, horrible, impossible, repulsive, obliterate, sadist, hollow, impede, negate…." _Her breaths were heavy and forced."Shiroshin… you are Shiroshin… and… you are mine… we are one, but you are mine!" Someone burst through the door with such an immense spirit pressure that Isuin's body was forced to slide away. She tried to force herself back and where she thought she had at least won over Shiroshin she realized who ever had entered had washed all her effort away.

"Give this to her…" Genrei struggled to move closer with the bracelet in his hand. In the door stood Zaraki and behind him stood Yachiru.

"See Ken-chan?" A grin peeled across his face as Genrei continued to move closer.

"Zaraki… this is not the time! Bring Byakuya here…"

"Quiet old man." For the first time Isuin saw what it was she feared about Zaraki. It was not the looming, hulking form of his body or even the bloodlust which drove him, but that he would do anything to get the life inspiring battle that he wished and trained for.

"Zaraki stop!" Ignoring the old man he walked forward towards Isuin, his massive feet making clinking sounds on the iced floor.

Genrei tossed the bracelet across the room hoping Isuin would be able to get to it in time, but it fell short of her and with a single motion Zaraki swung his blade down on it. Silver fragments shot out around the room and light sparkled.

"Zaraki." A voice as cold as the room floated over the room and settled in Isuin's ear. Zaraki turned and without stopping walked out of the room. He said nothing as he walked, Yachiru jumped on his back, but Zaraki stopped halfway.

"Don't put anything like that back on her. She can't handle it."

Isuin watched as Genrei was moved outside the room that had begun to show signs of the pressure leaking from her.

He did not condemn her, but tears broke out and she hated herself from not even being able to control herself or her Zanpakuto. Her tears froze on her face before the pressure eased and she was able to breathe easier.

"Stay there." It was as if his words were a spell and she had no choice but to listen. It was not that her body was so run down that she could not control herself, but that her mind was under attack from within. Her own worries, her own fears, regrets, pains, short comings, were all weakening the gap between her and her Zanpakuto. She knew this now when her body began to relax into some kind of forced sleep.

"Thank you… Kuchiki-Taicho… forgive me…" She placed her head lightly on the floor and slept so heavily that he might have mistaken her for dead.

"She needs continuous heavy training. Nothing normal either. She must control not only her emotions, but that power that sleeps in her Zanpakuto. I believe I can give her this training." Byakuya turned then to his grandfather and in a tone he kept only for close family he asked.

"Why do you believe you can do anything for this woman? Why do you think you should?" Genrei looked down and smoothed Isuin's hair that lay sprawled across the floor like black ink.

"Because the woman carries a unique sword with her, one bound by not only the emotions of its wielder, but a strong elemental Zanpakuto that I have seen and dealt with before.

"You have seen her Zanpakuto before? With another user?" Genrei nodded and stood back up, tall next to the grandson he had once complained was rash and hot-headed.

"Yes, your grandmother once had a contact with the same Zanpakuto. Shiroshin is a strange weapon and can be very dangerous. Even your grandmother had trouble with it and she was apt to begin with. I believe I may be able to help his child." Byakuya stooped down and picked Isuin up, her head tilting back and hair swung below her.

"I will speak with her captain, but she is your responsibility. I will have nothing to do with this other than asking on your behalf."

Genrei nodded and sat down. His body was too old to deal with the vigor's of a young shinigami without control of her own Zanpakuto, but he would try.


	10. Chapter 10

"She has Tenteikura. How would a shinigami have that which she is not strong enough to cast, and why? Captain Kyoraku, do you know anything about this?" Isuin was unable to move inside her own body.

" Not at all. I don't make a habit of pulling up my subordinates sleeves." Someone scoffed.

"She mentioned the name Kazuma… Does anyone know this person? Does he exist or is he some dream she made up?" She didn't want them talking about her like this.

'_Please leave... say something else.'_

"Be silent. I believe she is aware of her surroundings. Release the spell." As if blindness unfolded she could suddenly see once more. Around her stood her captain, Genrei, Captain Kuchiki and Yamamoto. She feared worse matters were to come.

_Why are they all here, why are they looking at me like this? Has Yamamoto Taicho-sama told them? I feel... sick._

"Good morning Isuin. Do you feel well?" Yamamoto called her by her alias and her fears slightly subsided. "I hope you feel better than before. I would allow this to wait if it was not a concern, but I must ask you what happened while in the Kuchiki main house." His face was gentle, but she could tell he was restraining his true disposition and was very concerned.

"I…I… It was like someone had jumped into my body and pushed me out. I could hear and see, yet I was unable to do anything. She was there…" She lifted her hand and touched with a finger her Zanpakuto. "She did this… I was learning from Kuchiki Genrei-sama when I just felt… like letting go. Like giving up. That was when something inside… it was like something broke and she took over. I couldn't do anything. She froze everything and then she attacked Genrei-sama…. I'm so sorry Kuchiki Genrei-sama, forgive me for being so weak." Yamamoto set a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

"It is alright. I do not lay blame with you. I have explained… some things to the Captains and as much as you would have preferred otherwise I have explained of your background." Her insides shrunk.

"I beg forgiveness for my deceiving you all."

"Yes, Genrei has also explained somewhat of the nature behind your Zanpakuto. As of right now, only the captains and their lieutenants know of your identity. This information, for now, will not be wide spread information. I have also commanded you into the care of Genrei for the time, and transferred you to another Squad." Isuin turned to Kyoraku to confirm.

"What? No, please, do not do this." She sat forward and felt the tingle of cool air. "I'm sorry. Let me breath for a moment. The slightest change in composure and it seems I give her a way in…"

"I am glad you understand this. We have not set you aside to be forgotten and Genrei has requested to teach you what he can. He seems to have the most understanding and knowledge about your Zanpakuto and I am pleased to see he would help. I have deceived to have you shifted over to Captains Zaraki's squad for training as well. He also has a very strong Reitsu that needs suppressing and training with him will allow, hopefully a better control of the power that does not seem to lessen like I'd hoped earlier on." She shivered at Zaraki's name.

"Is there no other Captain that would accept me?" Yamamoto looked puzzled and then understood her fear, but he really didn't. She didn't have blood running through like a normal person, it was ice.

"I recall having to deter him from you before. Although he cannot sense Reitsu himself, vice captain Yachiru can. She was able to sense you and that gave way to Zaraki's… high interest. I have informed him that he is not to treat you as some toy and that this matter is of utmost seriousness." She was not convinced in the slightest.

"What of my Reitsu? Am I somehow contained?" Again the air seemed to chill, but only because of their silence this time.

"We have received a good insight into your… condition. Zaraki having brought it to our attention left me rather… at a dead end. You can no longer wear the 'soul eater' to take down your Reitsu. Zaraki explained that someone of your… inner power cannot be taken down by such means. That the Reitsu that comes out of you is unstable when having it constantly drained. By draining it Zaraki has said that your body has trained to build more Reitsu to make up for what has been taken away. It is like training the muscle in your body. You add more weight and built more; well, in your case the more we took away the more your body created Reitsu to make up for it." Isuin was confused and her head begun to pulse with the oncoming headache.

"So what's going to happen to me till I can control this? I can't wear the 'soul eater' any more, but what about everyone else? My friends, training? What will I do, where might I stay?" Yamamoto's face did not please her none the least. "You're going to lock me away aren't you?" She pulled herself from her bed and with difficultly walked towards the door to leave. She was being rude and showing her back to the Captains and on top of that Yamamoto would bode ill, but she was not going to listen to this anymore.

"Where are you going? You cannot go outside of these walls." She stopped and left the door open. She felt the tingle of spell work and knew he was right. They would not allow her to just walk out.

"Allow me to return to my house. I refuse to sit holed up in this place for your benefit. This is most unbecoming for a head of the Shihoin house despite their background." She was spitting venom practically in their face. "I am Yoruichi's' cousin, not Yoruichi. I refuse to be treated as some kind of renegade traitor." Captain Kyoraku seemed impressed enough and stepped beside her where as Kuchiki-Taicho looked most unimpressed.

"She does have a point. I wonder what the outcome of something like this would be if the greater people heard about this… if we continue as we planned. I can think of a few things that could suffice so long as she sticks to them without fail." He tipped his hat back and closed his eyes as if not caring whether they went for his idea or not.

"What do you think Captain Kuchiki?" Genrei looked at his grandson and she waited on what seemed like a guillotines master to haul back and swing.


	11. Chapter 11

"Again." Ginrei's lessons and tactics were brutal on her body and worse on her mind. For the last few months she had been barred from her home and she had little word of Kazuma aside from the house moving along despite her absence. No word passed between them about missing the other. It was as if it had become taboo from the moment she stepped from the Main gate of her own estate.

"Again." She wanted to rip his vocal cords form his throat and make him eat them, but the old man was a talented teacher, and when everything was said and done she thanked him. Time and time again she trained her body in martial arts twinned with her agility from dancing. He often told her that when she fought it was like a choreographed performance and was most pleasing to the eyes. To still her mind she was given time for mediation in the serene places found in the Kuchiki grounds far removed from the rest of the manor and only where things like the sound of water disturbed by Koi.

"Again."Sweat poured down her face as she supported herself upside down with a single arm. Balanced perfectly where before she would have tumbled over and been injured, the constant droning of his voice pleading for perfection was a driving force to be reckoned with. When she did well he praised her when she failed he trained her harder.

"I can't…" She had steeled her will to halt all movement, she would not fail, she would not shift, but even so her arms felt ready to buckle. She could not let go until he so commanded her or she would be punished most viciously.

"Hold it." Her body screamed for the release of death as muscle ached and blood rushed painfully to pass air to her legs. Breathing heavily, her mind blank she started to hear the sound of bells again.

"I hear them…" Tears pelted down her face as agony pulled her mind away from body and her hair clung to her face most aggravatingly.

"Hold it." He was a devils master and she would make sure to send him to the next world…

The bells chimed lightly and as if spoken from under water and through the howling winds of a tempest she could hear the voice of her Zanpakuto.

"I can hear her…"

"What does she say?"

"I can't… hear that well." She paused and stilled with fatigue to silence the world outside her, so loud and obstinate compared to the icy silence that came over her when searching for her Zanpakuto.

"Bring down the starlight and burn the heaven with your kiss… Lay justice at gods feet while devils usurp the new day. Teisei(Whisper) Shiroshin!" Ginrei stood at the side lines while with flexible ease Isuin lowered one leg and the then other. In her hand her Zanpakuto shone no longer glass like but completely silver. Blade, hilt and a small chain which a bell jingled softly. It was no longer as long as her Zanpakuto normally was, but it seemed heavier in her hands.

"Excellent, Isuin-san." He walked up from behind and stopped next to her, peering down at a blade he did not know. "I wonder if a Zanpakuto changes with its user, because Shiroshin is no longer a sword I know. You have changed it." She pulled the blade to her face and looked at it closely as if it were a lover returned from some distant place.

"It is not the only one reborn…" He understood what she said and nodded allowing her the time to feel the power of her soul in her hands.

"What else does she tell you?" Isuin looked up and listened to sounds only she could hear.

"Tojikomeru no Kyuuten-kyouran!" A heavy mist flowed down from the blade in her hand and she could feel it's cold kiss on her wrists. The room remained relatively warm but from around her small spires of ice built up and out from the back of her arms and her legs. It was as if armour of ice encased her body while small flakes of white danced around the room flickering when the light shone just right.

"This is most interesting." Ginrei bent down to look closer then stepped away, he flexed his hand and she could see a thin layer of ice break from his palm. "It seems armour is not all that this has granted you… I wonder what else this power might do for you…" As the time passed small spires formed down her spine as well and she looked like some ice demon before long.

"I'm not even cold…" She mused and released her Zanpakuto into its original form. "But I feel drained."

"I would think so. You hung upside down for much longer than I'd have guessed." She scoffed at him as he said her training was done for the weekend. She hadn't had more than one day off in a row and to have two was a god-send.

"Thank you Kuchiki-sensei." She bowed and stepped out of the door to run smack dab into the less likable Kuchiki. 

"Byakuya-sama." She did not bow as would have been expected, but seeing as he'd made no change in being the obstinate man that he was, she would offer no formalities.

"You do not give proper honorifics to your superiors?" She stopped. The grin she tried hard to subdue would not go away. Technically she had given him one, but she had also called him by his first name and he was no close friend of hers with the attitude he gave her at every turn.

"I do… to my superiors, but you are not one of them. I too am of a noble house and not once have you been graceful enough have deserved such niceties, Byakuya. If you so wish for respect than perhaps you should also give it." She waited for him to return her a comment and she thought perhaps he might not.

"I see… I have word from your house. The duties are being carried out by those most trusted to you and everything seems in order. The man you have left in charge, Kazuma-san, is rather capable in your absence." He offered her no honorific and she wanted to kick him despite being a guest in his house. She would have been happier living outside in a rundown shack than in his house.

"Thank you." She didn't offer a title. She missed her own manor and its people. She missed the men and women she trained with and learned from and missed like an open wound for Kazuma. That Byakuya had word from Kazuma where lately Isuin had not was just one more thing on the list of things unlikeable about the 6th division Captain.

To be kind and more to Genrei than Byakuya she used the one thing Yoruichi had taught her and flashed stepped as far from both of them as she could. Genrei so she would not upset him with her lack of manners towards his grandson and Byakuya because tears now ran unchecked down her face for Kazuma who had little to no time for her anymore.


	12. Chapter 12

"Rei-chan!" Isuin was mid-meditation when from the hall her door slid open and she broke concentration.

"Hai, Yachiru-fukutaicho." Isuin stood from her seat and wished to find Byakuya and ask why on earth he would allow her to run about his manor like she did. "What can I do for you today?" Yachiru smiled and bounded into the room full of vigour like the child she was.

"Ken-chan came to visit you today." Isuin nearly toppled over… of all people Byakuya allowed Yachiru in his home, but to have Zaraki as well...? She was going to lose her mind if it wasn't already gone. Over the last 6 months, Isuin had to deal with Ginrei's monster training and Byakuya's inability to be human. He was annoying, rude, inconsiderate and Isuin was about to lose it with him. This being one of the last remaining straws to be drawn.

"Where is Zaraki-Taicho now?" Yachiru grabbed her hand and bounded down the hall dragging Isuin with her. Along the way they passed Byakuya and Isuin shot him a glare. She almost wanted to say 'save me' but she would not rely on his help.

"Ken-chan!" Yachiru released her hand and frolicked over to Zaraki who sat in an open dojo style room.

"What can I help you with Zaraki…-Taicho?" She almost forgot to give him honours as she forgot that he was in fact a captain and now her Captain to boot.

"We brought a friend." From the other end of the room a man stood half cowering in a corner.

"Who may I ask is that?" Zaraki grinned and she shivered, the man in the distance seemed to shiver as well.

"That is Ran-chan!" Isuin looked back at the man in the corner who started to attempt to crawl through the wall… Zaraki must have done something to set the man at wits end. That or Zaraki had been stuck with this 'orchid' and was trying to make something less pitiful out of him.

"I see…" Isuin walked over towards Ranzo and he stopped digging and turned around slowly. He looked like he was about to drop dead. His face was pale and she could almost hear the chattering of his teeth. "Greetings Ran-san. It is my pleasure to meet you." She almost didn't have time to finish when he turned around, eyes filled with stars, and gripped the hem of her shinigami cloak.

"Save me…" He croaked like a half dead man and she peered back at Zaraki.

"Is this man alright?" Zaraki said nothing and when she looked back down he was shaking his head. All she could do was stare and try to pry the man's hands from her coat.

"Ken-chan brought Ranzo to train with Rei-chan." Yachiru bounced around the room lit by the sun that came down in rays of warmth.

"That won't be necessary, Zaraki." Cold, calm and overly too confident for her liking, Byakuya stepped into the doorway. Isuin scoffed at him and his clothes. She didn't' care that the scarf around his neck was any kind of heirloom. That fact that he wore it to all places which that cloth alone could feed all the people in the lowest district for a month made her distaste him further.

"I'm saved by this pompous fool? How marvellous…" She muttered under her breath and bowed to Zaraki before she left. She offered no such sentiments for Byakuya though she was sure to hear about it later.

She wasn't more than a half step away from the door when a rumble broke the silence and an explosion sent her flying forward. As she attempted to protect herself she saw servants and attendants that would be injured severely if she didn't do something. 2 seconds, that was all it took for her mind to decide those in danger were pitiful for having to work under Kuchiki Byakuya and to set her protective barrier up. Sadly this barrier did not include her in it. Another wave hit and only a few seconds had passed, she was slammed against the wall and passed through a papered door. Splinters of wood chased after her and she slid along the floor demolishing a few chairs and a desk.

2 more seconds and she knew she was bleeding. She could taste the heavy metallic flavour of copper in her mouth and she wiped her sleeve over her mouth.

"Isuin." She peered up and stared… then bile boiled over in her stomach.

"Byakuya…" She looked and ran her hand down her face. While she had been tossed like a rag-doll from the blast, he had the audacity to stand before her, unblemished, unsoiled and unharmed. She began to get up and his hand came out over her. "Don't touch me Byakuya…" Then she felt it, through the craze of adrenaline that gave her strength a piece of the door or wall she'd come though stuck out of her leg and she held on to it tightly.

"Stay for a moment." He stood to leave and she yanked the stick out which dripped blood across the floor as she threw it aside and stood up.

"No need…" Limping, she allowed only that the injury was discomforting and not at all the blinding pain that it really was. She walked past him and over debris into the room she'd just left and where the explosion had come from. Zaraki stood looming over the sickly man previously called Ranzo whom coughed out ash and smoke.

"What happened in here?" She glared as she tried as best she could to hide her pain behind rage which wasn't hard to act at the moment.

"This one tried to escape by using demon arts… Kuchiki's manor may be protected from the outside, but not so well from damage from the inside." Isuin lowered her head while attempting and failing miserably to subdue the need to murder the misbegotten fool. Of all the things she had gone through and all the things she listened to and saw, this was the final mark to set her screaming. The fact that Byakuya had stood to stop the barrage of debris did not comfort her in the slightest, if anything it enraged her outright.

"You IDIOT!" Isuin walked over and dragged Ranzo out into an open area and forced him to his feet. "What have you to say for yourself?" Isuin shook him violently. The fact that it was Byakuya's manor had little to do with anything, but that Ranzo had acted so carelessly and destroyed such a house let alone a noble's was... unforgivable.

"Isuin…" Again Byakuya's voice floated over which only made her anger worse…

"I'm sorry…" Ranzo looked up at her confused and then grinned oddly before leaning over and speaking into her ear. In one instant… just one, she blushed completely aghast and kicked him using flash. He flew past and just before he made impact with the wall she caught him and raised him to face her eye to eye. He was no longer smiling at her. Byakuya looked mildly shocked while Zaraki simply watched with neither amusement nor any other kind of emotion.

"Say it again… I dare you…" He said nothing and looked away from her which she tossed him aside with pure distain. She ignored the slight grin on Zaraki's face and the equally displeased look on Byakuya's. "I don't want to hear it, he deserved it." That was all she said.

"So is that a 'no, he's not'?" Ranzo called out as she entered the door way and slowly… slowly she turned around. As she fingered through the spells she 'could' use to kill him when a wall formed before her.

"Eh…?"

"That will be all Isuin… I will discuss this matter further with you later. Until then please do not damage anything else in my house." She almost destroyed the wall. She hadn't damaged anything really, but perhaps the fool Ranzo…

Inside she was screaming. No insult towards the moron who'd actually torn his house to shreds, no. Utter insult after insult at the person who had actually went out of her way to save his servants. She felt her Zanpakuto cold in her hand and a shiver ran down her spine, giving way to wave after wave of gooseflesh. It was only the look on Byakuya's face that allowed her to walk away without using demon art on Ranzo and perhaps even Byakuya's house out of rage. She rubbed away the chill on her cheeks without damage or insult mentioned.

'_Isuka.'_

Isuin stopped and looked back, but no one stood behind her and from what she gathered every one still remained behind putting to order Ranzo's mess. She felt the creeping feeling of cold water on her arm and she pulled up her sleeve to see a message from Kazuma.

"About time..."She pulled down her sleeve quickly and left without a further thought to Zaraki, Ranzo or Byakuya.


	13. Chapter 13

Isuin made it her job to avoid Byakuya and Genrei for the most part of the next week. She wanted nothing to do with repairing the arena, and she had to move her things to her new Division anyways now that her confinement was over. Thankfully she had the aid of her friends from the academy; Hanataro, Nao and Kyo where rather energetic about the move, more so than she was by any rate.

"Oy, Isuin-san. Do you think we might get to see Zaraki-Taicho if we hang around long enough?" Isuin cringed at the thought. _God, I hope not... _"I mean,you said he kinda has it out for you, and from what I can tell you're right. He's..." Kyo looked behind him before continuing. "Kinda creeping you out with all that 'battle me' stuff... I don't know why you couldn't just say no. Weren't you happy in Kyoraku-Taicho's division?" She couldn't help but sigh and sit down. She looked at her hands that were red from moving furniture around and from a scratch she had along her arm from when Hanataro dropped his end of a table on top of her.

"I did like being in Kyoraku-Taicho's division, but unfortunately, it's not my decision whether I stay or go. It seems I'm like going to be batted around a few times around Soul Society before settling in like everyone else. Besides..." She broke off. She was not happy in the slightest talking about this to any one at the moment.

_"Yamamoto-Taicho-sama. You can't be serious." Isuin's already pale pallor became almost white. Fear turned her insides over and inside out until she thought she might pass out. The only thing that forced her to stay wakeful was the general's presence. _

_ "I do not think that there is much Zaraki is capable that Kyoraku is not. In this I must say I am surprised. The way that Captain Zaraki brings light to your condition is a great means for concern..." Isuin turned to Kyoraku in silence, pleading, begging and all but crying. '__**Don't let them do this to me! Don't let them lock me away. Don't let me be part of **__**his**__** division. What about my honour? Am I that much of a burden?'**__ When Kyoraku seemed immune she glanced to Nanao, but she was looking at Yamamoto intently. '__**I've been abandoned!... Don't you dare look to Genrei. Don't you even think of looking at Byakuya!' **_

_ "Is this wise, Yamamoto-sama?" Old and grey like the city of Seireitei itself the words came, Thunderous. _

_ "As of today Shihouin Isuka is no longer a part of Division 8. She will be under Zaraki Kenpachi's command from today on. Seeing as she is in need of a great deal of training it will be up to Zaraki and Genrei should he so please to make sure she is capable to control her Reitsu. Dismissed." _

_There was no room to make any other objections. Everything had been decided. _

"Besides. Now I don't really have to fear him being behind me all the time. I know he'll be chasing me around." She felt like being buried under a mile of rock.

"Isuin-san..." Hanataro was always at a loss with what to say or do in this kind of situation which made her feel like a devil for putting him there. The only thing to do was fix it.

"All right!" Everyone looked up as she pulled her Zanpakuto from its sheath. Pointing the sword out the window she grinned from ear to ear. "Let's get out of here. I can't stand the smell of sweaty men with nothing better to do than beat the snot out of people." She flew out the window and tore off towards the hills outside her new division, behind her Kyo carried Hana who couldn't keep up and Nao just behind stifling what looked to be severe laughter. After what could have been 5 minutes or more with what she had going through her mind she stopped at a dense section of trees and sat down.

"Yosh." From her sleeve Isuin produced a few apples she had bought before she started moving her things and waited for the others to catch up. Belatedly she was informed that there was no way in hell that any one of their group would keep up with her if she wanted to move that fast. She only laughed and began to cut the apples.

"So you have time to do things like this? I thought a previous seated member of the 8th squad would have more to do, or is it that you are free and have no seat since your demotion to Zaraki's squad?" Isuin looked down at her hand while a thin line of blood cut across her finger and onto the apple.

"Tsuhitosa, leave." Kyo was standing with his hand at his sword and Nao was standing behind Isuin. Hana watched like a child while his parents argued.

"So it's true, then? I can tell just by looking at you. DEMOTED! Ha! You rose too fast to stay that high, Isuin. That's ok though; if you need help with anything just ask... I'll..." Isuin had stopped listening. Instead she watched as the blood on her hand slowly crystallized into ice.

_"By all means. Send her to my squad. I'll take care of her. Mostly. She's interested me and I can make sure she doesn't go berserk again. I've a few previous experiments that worked out well to stem the flow of Reitsu, even if that wasn't my intention at the time..." '__**Bastard.'**_

_ "Kurotsuchi-Taicho. With no disrespect intended. Come near me at all for anything and you will regret it." Isuin looked at Mayuri with pure contempt. '__**Despicable, evil, creep! Why is he even a Captain? Can he truly be trusted when all he wants is to cut people apart?'**_

_ "That won't be necessary. Zaraki-Taicho, please make sure Isuin is given the proper training. You may leave." _

"Silent, Soft and Sweetly Frozen..." Bells chimed while ice continued to crawl up Isuin's hand up onto her arm. _What do you want from me? _"Silent, soft and sweetly frozen, whispering in the night. Why do the stars shine when alone I sit..."

"What the hell is her problem?" Kyo bent at one knee to lower himself to Isuin's level, Nao moved to stand in front of Hana.

"Silent, Soft and Sweetly Frozen?" _Get out of my head! _Isuin's head burned and her eyes were blurred like looking through water to see the world. _Run...RUN!_

Isuin's head tilted upward to look at Kyoichi, but it was not Isuin he saw. Her eyes which normally looked almost black they were so dark and shone like amethyst gems catching the light.

"Isuin?" His hand moved from his sword to her shoulder while inside she screamed.

_Don't touch me! Run! Nao, Kyo, Hana. RUN! _A soft smile crossed her face before drawing his weapon away from him. Thankfully Nao had known something was not right and thrown him aside before Shiroshin could hurt him. _Run... Run, Run, RUN! PLEASE! Shiroshin, stop this. Please!_

Bells sang in the thousands, it hurt her ears to hear so many of them, but she screamed over top them to try and get her message across that she was no longer in control. She had somehow allowed one of two most taboo things to happen. One would be to have a contract with a Zanpakuto that had a contract with another. Second, was to allow your contracted Zanpakuto possession of the Shinigami's body. Sadly she had never heard of either occurring to know if it was reversible.

For a moment her head cleared enough to see Shiroshin's target was not Kyo or Nao or even Tsuhitosa, but Hanataro. The least likely to protect himself of any of her group and the only one to have almost no combat skills what so ever to the point that he had become a member of the 4th division.

_STOP!_ Shiroshin paused with Kyo's sword held at shoulder height. "STOP." Her own voice rang from her mouth rather than Shiroshin's.

"Silent, Soft and Sweetly Frozen... Would you call out my name? Shihouin Isuka?"

Time seemed to stop while Isuin racked her brain for an answer than wouldn't enrage her like she had against Genrei. But she knew she didn't know an answer to her question. She knew it wasn't as simple as saying 'Shiroshin'. She'd been doing it all along...

Shiroshin frowned and moved towards Nao and Hana and a menacingly slow pace as if she were stalking; Slow and deliberate like a beast over injured prey.

_Stop, Please! Shiroshin! If that isn't your name, what is!_

And the world dissolved into white.


	14. Chapter 14

_"Where am I?" _Everything was white; varying degrees of white. It was the walls around her in the distance, the sky above her and the ground beneath her feet.

_"Shiroshin!" _No one answered. It was silent; a silence like no other. It was like her small existence had been eaten by it. Her footsteps made no sound, her breath and her voice fell short on the air. Then it began to snow. The white sky and white earth bridged by the snow in-between. Then she heard it, in the distance which consumed sound bells rang and she ran. The snow began to come down a little heavier as she ran, but she had no direction to go into, the bells came from all sides and every direction looked the same. Even so she ran. Until the distance was no longer the same; a small difference marred the eternal similarity of the white world.

_"Shiroshin!"_ She flash stepped, but it didn't matter which way she traveled or how fast the distance closed in at the same rate. When she finally got close enough the small difference from miles away was not so small. A large gate was carved into ground and around it four pillars rose, clear like quartz. On the gate itself lay intertwining human figures; a shiver which had nothing to do with the cold settled in her spine.

Hanging from one of the pillars was a ring of keys and every key was completely different than the next. Some plain and small, others large with intricate designs that she feared might gather the mind into a maze and here she would stay while Shiroshin raged about Soul Society in her body. She ripped the keys from the pillar and bells clamoured in her ears, but the sound was not distant and when she turned to pull her weapon she found she was without one.

Before her stood cloaked in white a woman, a hood draped over her face covering everything but her mouth. "You are running out of time. Shihouin. Isuka." The ground shook, just a small tremor and the keys in Isuin's hands turned cold. The snow fell heavier and began to cover the door carved into the earth. _"What am I supposed to do!" _ And Shiroshin answered, but Isuin could not hear her.

The door slowly became dusted with a thin layer of snow. She had no choice but to try every single key on the ring to open the door. She rammed the first key into the hole and twisted to no avail and began on the second when something stabbed hard into her leg. She twisted her head to look behind her and saw something worse than the snow covering what she assumed was her only chance of escape. A small vein of ice had covered the top of her toes and was creeping slowly up her leg. She watched the ice as she tried another key and pure horror swept her into panic. With every wrong key she chose the ice took more and more of her body and faster. The human figures on the door seemed to be what happened when someone failed to escape this world. Key after key she tried them, starting first with keys that looked like the door and then with random hope had the ice covered her entire lower half. She hadn't even gotten a quarter of the way through the ring and she was almost half frozen.

"_You have to be kidding me. Isn't a Zanpakuto there to help Shinigami? What is the point of having one if it's going to try and kill you..." _The snow fell faster_. "Or is it just me? Dammit. Dammit. DAMMIT! I have to get out of this place. I have to stop this from getting worse..." _The ice was up to her chest and crawling up her neck and down her arms and she stopped and turned her head just enough to glare at the image of her Zanpakuto. _"I'm getting out of here. AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF SOMEONE LIKE YOU IS GOING TO STOP ME!"_

The bells rang all at once rather than the choir they had been before. The snow had stopped, but the ice had not. It reached slowly up her neck to her cheeks before it could cover her mouth she sucked in a breath that burned it was so cold.

"DO YOU HEAR ME?" Shiroshin walked over Isuin who was now rendered mute. She stopped just before Isuin's ears and head were complete encased and bent to whisper into her ear. Every muscle in her body tensed and then it all washed away. The ice had covered Isuin's hand completely; she could not turn the key. Shiroshin glanced down and then back to Isuin who was encased from head to toe in ice. Shiroshin then placed her hand over Isuin's and removed the keys from her hand. She glanced idly almost at the keys before placing the last key Isuin had picked and slid it into the locked.

_"Bring down the starlight and burn the heaven with your kiss… Lay justice at gods feet while devils usurp the new day. Destroy silently… _Tsuiraku Sekiei"_*Literally means Crashing Quartz Pillar or Spire.*_

"Shiroshin!"


	15. Chapter 15

Isuin stood straight and looked around her, glad for the fact she was able to control her Reitsu much better than before. Kyo bent strangely at his knees waiting for an impending attack while Nao stood in front of Hana in a half motherly half feral manner.

"I'm fine now. I'm sorry for that..." Isuin sat down and ignored that fact that as soon as Isuin appeared normal Tsuhitosa fled with the blinding speed of a coward. She snickered inside her mind about it and would make sure to use it a later time to bother the irritating moron.

"Isuin-san." She looked over to Hana and gave him her most sorrowful look while Nao still watched Isuin like a wild animal gone out of control or worse. "What happened?" She looked down at her hands and brushed the remains of ice from her palms.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps Tsuhitosa has finally hit the correct button." She would not explain that she was battling it out with her Zanpakuto and possibly losing. She would not involve innocent people in her matters of concern. Despite herself she smiled and laughed which allowed Kyo and Nao to relax the rest of the way and eased Isuin into a more complaint state.

"You didn't look like Isuin for a moment." Her eyes widened for a moment at Kyo's blatant statement. She recalled the world of white and her Zanpakuto standing cloaked in flowing white. It had been so white that even the fresh snow about her looked almost dull and lacklustre. Her eyes; Shiroshin's eyes were the most frightening part about her though; they had no pupil, just a solid deep green color. Even light seemed to evade the depths of Shiroshin's eyes.

"Perhaps I wasn't." Isuin said it more to herself than for anyone else, but the answer seemed to drain the last bit of tension from the air for her admission. "Perhaps I'm still not." Isuin looked at the three of them who were now as close to her as family. Kazuma would be happy to know she'd found others she could be with. The sad side of the story was that they had no idea who she really was and it pained her into almost telling them while they sat idly under the trees with the warm breeze that gently folded their clothes into loving embraces that could not be taken into the wild dance of the sky.

A sigh escaped Kyo's mouth and she smiled again. She was a nuisance to them. They had worried about her, had to protect themselves from her as well and they didn't know why. She couldn't tell them why and this resolve hardened her. She had a mission on top of reclaiming Shihoin's honour. She could not take back her own identity and be herself so long as her honour and Zanpakuto lay in the balance. She could not be the friend she was supposed to be and she was wasting time fixing everything.

Abruptly Isuin stood from her place on the ground where Kyo and Nao jumped in surprise. Isuin would not face them when she knew her face was burdened and borderline tearful.

"I am not exactly who I say I am and before you ask, I cannot tell you the truth. No yet. Wait for me, give me time and I will be sure to explain everything. I will make this right." And she was gone. Nao had been the closest and had been about to take Isuin's shoulder but Isuin had flash stepped far out of reach. It was a sudden distance that was not only the amount of space physically between them but a gaping void between their hearts.

Isuin put heavy distance between them before turning towards the Kuchiki manor and finding it completely empty. The lump in her heart hardened and tightened. Both Byakuya and Genrei were away from home, something she had not seen in the year since she'd met Genrei. In total she'd been a soul in Seireitei for over 130 years. She had been 24 years old despite how souls aged when she'd entered the Shihoin house and 67 when Yoruichi had defected.

"Come to think of it... it's been 4 years since I'd entered the academy..."

The thought of time and age made her return early to her barracks and complete the job she'd left behind in Zaraki's division. The remainder of the move took little time when she utilised flash step, thankfully, and she was finished in record time. Before she turned to sit down and finally admire her room a messenger came to her door.

"You have been summoned by Yachiru-Fukutaicho on behalf of Zaraki-Taicho. They will be waiting for you in the Dojo on the premises." And he was gone. He hadn't even left her time to respond.

"For the love of all things holy..." She untied and re-fixed the obi at her waist and brushed the tangles out of her hair before leaving. She didn't have to lock her door, which had an interesting feeling to it. In the Shihoin manner every lock that was possible was shut tight behind her due to her title and rank in the world. Here, though, because she as part of the infamous Squad to house the menacing figure to 'Kenpachi', everything was safe. Who'd want to risk coming into the most blood thirsty division in all of soul society? Despite the fact she had little to no respect for her current Taicho she made haste to the dojo, standing before the main door and announced herself.

"Isuin of Division 11 is here on request from Yachiru-fukutaicho." She waited for a moment and another shinigami, one she'd not met before walked past her with a grin that went from ear to ear. He laughed at her and walked in leaving the door open. She followed him in but ignored him while waiting for Zaraki to show up. Inside sat only two people; neither of them she knew, and they both looked at her with wide smiles... smiles she would have loved to beat from their faces. Instead she sat down with her legs crossed and waited.

"Oy... What's your name?" Isuin remained silent and still. She'd closed her eyes in thought and they also remained shut. "Oy!" The man speaking to hr was the same one to walk in just before her earlier and she was right in assuming he was an arrogant moron like the rest of the division no doubt.

"I don't think she wants to speak with you, Ikkaku. Perhaps she only responds to equally beautiful people?" Isuin almost hadn't stifled the outright laugh in her lungs. Of the two men with her, the first moron was bald and clearly rude; the other was about the same height and had short but straight hair with some kind of dyed feather of a sort glued to his face. She wiped away the image of a bald headed feather man from her mind before she insulted them both.

"Eh?" She heard footsteps stop in front of her while she failed to erase the image of bald feather men from her memory when something hard tilted her face upwards. All humour was gone now and she opened her eyes to stare directly into the face of the bald man. He still had the same look on his face. "You got a problem with the people in this division, or perhaps even it's Captain?" Isuin simply looked at him and then with a single motion ripped the stick from his hands and sent it flying behind her. It imbedded itself in the wall and she stood up and glared at him.

"Ah, Ikkaku. I don't think she likes you very much..." The other man stifled a chuckle and Ikkaku turned and bellowed.

"Yamachika..." He was clearly peeved with his feathered friend and went to continue but Isuin cut him off.

"No, what I have a problem with is people sticking their nose into my business. Whether it be their presence or a stick. Either one, I will be more than eager to remove from my presence or just plain existence, if you continue this." She was most unimpressed and it showed.

"Oh?..." Ikkaku grinned even wider and bells chimed behind her. Sadly she would have preferred Shiroshin at this very moment, but knew for a fact it was not. It was Zaraki-Taicho; on his back hung Yachiru-fukutaicho. The man at Zaraki's side made her grind her teeth.

"Greetings Zaraki Taicho, Yachiru fukutaicho." She looked at Ranzo but made no mention of greeting him.

"No need to be so formal... this squad is not like the others in Seireitei." Beside her stood Yamachika who pushed back an errant strand of hair from his face. He had a soft smile and gentle voice aside from the odd feather make-up and being in Zaraki's squad.

"You sure you can handle being in this squad?" Ikkaku stood at her other side, and she lifted her foot to slam it down on his which made him howl in rage. "What was that for?" She lost her cool composure and snapped.

"Because you are rude and arrogant and think you can do what ever you please. Well guess what?" She rounded on him and he stopped grasping his foot. "If you ever touch me with that stick like that again, I'll bust it half over your face and shove the other end..."

"Oy." Zaraki's voice boomed over her and cut her off.

A smile crossed his lips and she forced herself to stay where she stood rather than take the step away that she desperately wanted to. They were all insane. The feather man, the bald man with the exact grin as her insane Captain; Not to mention Ranzo was standing next to Zaraki with the ever flamboyant Yachiru on his back. Just what had she gotten herself into by becoming a shinigami?


	16. Chapter 16

"Rei-san!" Yachiru leapt with ease next to Isuin and pointed excitedly at Ranzo. "Look who is part of our squad Rei-san! Ran-san and Rei-san and Kuku-san and Chika-san! YAY!" Isuin's insides curled.

"It is a pleasure to meet you again... Ranzo-san." Isuin twitched and fought the urge to tell every single one of them off... aside from Yachiru... she was just too cute. A dark aura was forming around Isuin, and as she turned to bow to Ikkaku and Yumachika when instinct told her to guard.

Sparks flared when Ikkaku and Ranzo lunged from in front and behind. She didn't have the room to battle with two men like this, but parried and sifted through her brain to figure something out. Bells chimed and she instantly looked at Zaraki who never moved. _'shit'_ Isuin stepped from inside the room to outside and Ikkaku blasted through the wall.

"Are you fricken' insane!" Isuin called out and unleashed Shiroshin. The room instantly became a few degrees cooler and Ikkaku stalled in thought long enough for her to flash step behind him, grabbing him from his collar and whipped him across the room, sadly she was not fast enough to dodge Ranzo who came from her side at such a blinding speed she hadn't even blocked in time. She was sent spinning into a thick cement wall, after a moment of not sensing the attacker's Reitsu shift she pulled herself from the wreckage and cleared the blood that dripped down her face, staining the white of her shinigami garbs. Bells chimed again and she let them sing.

Flash stepping she appeared behind Ranzo and then Ikkaku and then back again to confuse them before grabbing Ranzo and sending him straight up into the air. She took no time to summon her deadliest move she could think of.

"Hiriyugekizokushintenraiho!" A large yellow and white orb began forming just like it had years ago; instead of her on the receiving end she was the one calling it into action. She was using the thunder cannon in defense. '_Kazuma' _ It roared forward in blinding speed from above Ranzo in the sky down. She showed up behind Ikkaku and bent her mouth to his ear.

"Tsuiraku Sekiei" (Crashing quartz pillar) whether due to shock or something else he was unable to turn around fast enough and was cased from head to toe in ice. She then took a step back and using Reikohu she hit the ice block directly under the cannon's path. The world hung silent and still and the cannon erupted in red fire.

She swore as the ice around Ikkaku splintered but the beam had already struck. Then she swore again. Directly above Ikkaku stood Zaraki; his hand fingers spread catching the beam like it was nothing but sunlight. His face turned to her and wore no expression at all. That was when she noticed it. At the base of the pillar sat Ranzo, unscathed and the pillar which shattered into fragments of ice; both Ikakku and Ranzo were untouched while Zaraki defeated her Thunder cannon with his bare hands. She might as well have been born at the very bottom of Rukongai with how she swore in her mind.

The cannon ended and Zaraki walked towards her then passed her. She went from standing on pure adrenaline to crashing to her knees as he walked out of sight. Watching the small particles of dust wash over her hands another set of feet walked towards her and then passed. The dust caught in a breeze whipped into her eyes and she burned back tears meant to wash the grit from her eyes. More footsteps, but they didn't pass her by like the others. Instead when she looked up Ikkaku and Yamachika stood in front of her grim faced. Then Ikkaku's face lit up with a smile unlike the previous; almost an evil grin.

"That was fun." He bent at the waist and offered her his hand while looking at Yamachika.

"It was unfortunate that she didn't know about Zaraki, though she fought most beautifully."

She looked between them both and Ikkaku laughed and swung his arm over her shoulder.

"That's ok. She'll learn quickly." He looked at her. "You're fast." He let her go and walked away with his hands behind his head.

"What was all of that about?" Yumachika looked at her and brushed his hand through his hair.

"Zaraki wanted to have fun ... Testing you, I guess in a word. Making sure you are... worthy of being here. " She shook her head like everyone was out of their minds. She hadn't been having fun. She felt her life had been on the line.

"And? Why did he look so pissed off? More than normally of course when he left?" Yumachika frowned slightly and then smiled more almost to himself.

"Zaraki doesn't like Kido, it's like cheating to him. Using 'magic'. He looked excited before you used that though... I think you'll be fine." He began to walk away and called after her. "You should come and allow Ikkaku and me to drink you under the table."

Tension gone completely in an instant, she laughed and walked past him.

"Drink me under the table? Ha!"

Later that night Isuin sat red faced at the window passed out with Ikkaku and Yumachika sitting down unfazed.

"She'll manage alright here. Zaraki isn't going to let us have any fun with her though... She better be careful. She doesn't quite understand what she's getting into here." Yumachika nodded in agreement and leaned back against the wall.

"I think she knows exactly what she's getting into... she just might not like it, or maybe she will and that's the plan." Ikkaku grinned from ear to ear before they both left and locked the door behind them.


	17. Chapter 17

Isuin woke with a pounding headache that could have broken the walls of Seireitei had they not been confined to her brain. She allowed a single groan to escape tightly pursed lips before sitting up and regretting it.

"Never again..." She opened her eyes and peeled off the clothes she was still wearing and stepped inside her shower. It was lucky that she need no go into the general bathing areas as she was morbidly afraid of them and of course for other more personal reasons...

When all was said and done she dawned a clean outfit and slid the door to her room open. Every thought she had was wiped clean from her mind.

"Good morning Isuin-san." Isuin continued to star dumbfounded. "I hope you slept well." The cogs in her head slowly began to move once more.

"Chika-chika told me that he and Baldy had to stop you from making trouble last night." The gears started to move at breakneck speed now and a sweat broke out over her entire body.

Yumichika stood in front of her door with his back against the wall and Yachiru was next to him. She could only imagine what they were talking about.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what you talking about..." Her instincts told her she should have stayed in her room and left via the window as an almost evil grin peeled across Yachiru-fukutaicho face.

"Rei-san was seen by Baldy and Chika-chika leaving Headquarters and going... Baldy!" Yachiru bounded down the hall and Isuin leaned out of her doorway to watched as she leapt into the air, swung around and gripped onto the back to Ikkaku's shoulders holding his head. Ikkaku did not look impressed. He greatly hated being called 'Baldy' and Isuin had yet to figure out if Ikkaku was actually bald of simply shaved his head with the religious enthusiasm equal only to Kurotsuchi-Taicho's drive to experiment on things.

"Good morning Yachiru-fukutaicho." The tone was less than pleasant.

"Ah!... Now what was I doing?" Yachiru looked towards the ceiling while struggling under the attempts of using the full faculties of her brain. "Oh well." She jumped down from Ikkaku and waved good-bye. "I need to go find Ken-chan now." A soon as she was gone from sight Ikkaku turned to Isuin had glared like nothing before. She was mildly wondering if she should even bother asking what his problem was considering how Yachiru had started it.

"Isuin-san..." Yumichika spoke and she glanced at his easy-going face and again wondered something. _What are Yumichika and Ikkaku even doing as friends? They are totally opposites..._ "Can we have a moment of your time?" Isuin nodded and walked with them into one of the offices used for meetings. So naturally the room was never used and was in much need of a cleaning.

Despite Isuin's mind wondering to various places it always came back to Ikkaku who looked ready to blow a gasket. Like he was some kind of girl from the living-world with the hottest gossip and could not wait to spill...

"Isuin. May I ask what your relation-ship with anyone in the Kuchiki manor is?" Isuin would have toppled over if two things didn't hold her together. One was her upbringing as the Head of the Shihouin noble family and the other was that she had already sat down. "Isuin?"

"May I ask what make you bring up such a... disturbing question?" The instant mentioning of Byakuya's last name was enough to make her want to scream. His arrogance, his mannerism...

"The fact that when you passed out last night and we left you broke out of the room, stumbled on to Byakuya's property and continued to... vault up the very wall to the window of his room..." Isuin's mouth was still on the ground when she stood up to lose her mind.

"I did WHAT?!" Thankfully Isuin would have more than enough time to clean up the greatly disused room because she damaged everything inside except the carpet and the door. "He's the world's biggest narcissistic noble I've ever seen! He reek's of egotism and not to mention the man wears a scarf worth enough to clean up the entire worse end Rukongai! The only Kuchiki member worth time and acceptance is Genrei-sama! I... I don't even like saying his name!" She finally caught up with herself when the vase in her hands shattered on the ground at her feet. Yumichika still had the composed look it always did while Ikkaku looked ready to cry he was laughing so hard and to top it all off the floor was damage too now.

"I've never heard someone so ready to bash the guy... I've never even heard the colourful and variant words you used to describe the guy!" Isuin paled in the face. She had lost control and mocked not only a captain of the 13 squad's, but a fellow noble. She felt sick.

"Ikkaku. Although Isuin may have a great dislike for him... she has to keep that to herself. Imagine if she were to explode like that to him or anyone else for that matter?" Ikkaku's face suddenly became serious.

"True." He looked at Isuin long enough to make her feel uncomfortable. "She should refrain from drinking... anything with alcohol." Yumichika nodded instantly and Isuin couldn't imagine why. She had always held up well while drinking... Come to think of it... Why did she even believe that she had gone to Byakuya... _his _house let alone vault up the wall to his room... She felt sicker.

"Isuin... are you alright?"

She shook her head with viscous intent and could not tell them that her need to vomit was not from overindulgence in Sake, but for her hatred of Byakuya.

When she finished empting the contents of her stomach she wiped her mouth and slide open her door . Again Yumichika stood leaning against the wall, but this time instead of Yachiru, Ikkaku was with him.

"I need something to eat..."

All three of them ended up all going out for food as the barracks of their division seemed to be found wanting of anything edible. As such they ended sitting at a table grilling their own meat and in generally mowing down food.

"So... Isuin. Why is it that you... dislike 'him' so much?" Isuin choked down her meat and glared.

"He's a nasty man with a nasty temper. He thinks he's always right and he's perfect. I'm also from a noble house and I don't have the same level of acceptance as he does and... and... what?" Ikkaku and Yumichika both shared a completely star struck look on their face? "What?"

"You're a Noble?" Isuin couldn't believe these two hadn't heard the message that had been sent out to all Captains and their Lieutenants. "From what house? You... You aren't related to Byakuya are you? .. That might explain why she hates him so much... Do you think he picked on her as a child or something... I could see him maybe torturing little animals as a kid but..." Isuin listened as Ikkaku stopped talking to her and dove head first into a conversation with Yumichika like she wasn't even with them both. He really did sound like a gossiping girl... "So... oh yeah... So what house are you from?

"..."

"Sorry... What was that?" Ikkaku and Yumichika both leaned over more.

"My name is Shihouin Isuka and I am the head of the Shihouin house." Both of their faces went from confusion to disbelief, understanding and then what looked like pity. She could almost hear the word 'oh...' on their lips. She was just about to stand up and leave when Matsumoto came to the table and clapped her hand and half her chest on Isuin's shoulder.

"Ah, Isuin-san. Oh? And Ikkaku and Yumichika as well?"

"Konbanwa Matsumoto-fukutaicho..." Isuin made to stand up again, but Matsumoto sat down next to her blocking the escape.

"No need to be so formal Isuin." Her laughter was loud in Isuin's ear. "I've only just escaped from the taskmaster and was up to having a couple of drinks. Care to join?"

Both Ikkaku and Yumichika stood up in unison, their hands palm down on the table; their words over shadowing each others.

"No!"

For the time being the discussion of being the head of the Shihouin house and its _previous_ head were negated.


	18. Chapter 18

Isuin sat alone with a heavy stack of papers in front of her. A crease formed in the center of her brow as she read over the mire of letters and other such things that required the stamp of her approval. They varied from little things from repairs needed on the mansion due to bad weather and important letters from other heads of the noble houses. There was only one letter in particular she was looking for it after reading all the paper she found it not amongst the rest. She had been hoping to hear from Kazuma personally.

"Dammit..." She pushed back the chair and leaned in on its two front legs while she stared at the ceiling. There was nothing beautiful about the ceiling, but for some reason she found it relaxing to just stop everything on a whim and breath.

"Isuin-san..." Isuin looked up and found herself confronted by one of two people she cared not to be around at the moment. Yumichika. Thankfully Ikkaku was not with him at this time and she leaned forward on the chair to level it out.

"I'm sorry... If you'll wait a moment I can clear these away." She grabbed for the papers in forced calm type fashion, but it was too late.

"I think I would be out of place saying what I think needs be said." The normal calm and almost ignorant side of Yumichika was gone in its entirety. The fake friends ship between them gone.

"I didn't want to continue the conversation I threw myself into... a lapse I find will cost me..." Isuin folded her hands on the desk and exhaled. Yumichika took the seat in front of her.

"I will not delve... it's not my place or any others to make comment... But."

"But..."

"I believe a few things need your attention... First is the previous head of the Shihouin house. Yoruichi is greatly sought after as a defector of Seireitei. No one knows what kind of information she took with her and the other Captain when they left. I understand why you left your identity unknown to the public. Second would be that of Kuchiki Taicho... I do not know if you are aware of his place in Soul society for the pasted few years." Yumichika took in a deep breath and Isuin wondered what toll the conversation seemed to be having on him. "From what I've gathered during your time in Kyoraku's squad Byakuya had a wife... she died a few years before you started frequenting his manor." Isuin's heart stopped dead. Who this man had managed to get this kind of information about her while she wasn't even in his squad was frightening... he was dangerous.

"I wonder what makes you think going through my dealing with the other noble houses can do with anything with you, but I do not like when others snoop into my life Yumichika-san." He smiled mildy to himself and looked to the side.

"I didn't not pry into your life... you just happened to be there. What I mean to say is that shortly after your leaving the academy Byakuya's wife had passed away..." This time the heart did not simply stop, but it had been wounded. A thousand little things that seemed out of place for a noble of any kind good or bad, seemed to suddenly fit. The lack of emotion and an over bearing pride. She had goaded him during a time so soon after the death of a most beloved person...

She stood from the chair and looked away like Yumichika had. "I see. You have too much time on your hands... I wonder if your concern is for that of the squad or elsewhere. Either way it is misplaced. I do not require aid in any means..."

"No?... I see. Than it would be little consolation to hear he has recently taken an exact look alike of his wife into the Kuchiki house but 6 months ago?" Isuin let the remark pass and walked to the door.

"Thank you Yumichika for your time. I have a great deal of things to do. Things which I would like to remain between me and them." He smiled as he stood and walked towards her.

"Good afternoon then Isuin-sama." He left with herself given name and an honorific not meant to come after. She was too close to hitting him with... something...

"Yumichika-san?..." He turned around and a slight breeze pushed pass him ruffling his black hair. "I will say this once... unless I wish you to delve into my personal affairs I would not come to me again in this manner." The cool look on his face was nowhere to be found. Instead he wore the confused and defensive look of a man about to be attack. He nodded his head as Ikkaku came into view. He didn't stay there long as she closed the door and clenched her fist hard enough to place little crescent shaped red marks on her palms.

For the first time in almost a year and half she sent word via letter to Kuchiki Genrei. She requested an audience which was quickly approved and left immediately for the Kuchiki Manor. She was greeted by a manservant of the house and brought to a large office room in the center of the house.

"Isuin-san." She was thankful that despite in his house he remained using her self-given name. "What is the pleasure today?" He was not at all happy sounding but then again the gruff ex-captain never had been.

"I am so pleased to be here. I thank you for allowing my visit." She waited for him to sit before continuing. "I have come to offer my utmost apologies for a matter I was unaware of during my stay many years ago... I wish to add my condolences to a lost daughter to the Kuchiki house and causing much uproar during my training under your care." She bowed lower than was required to show her sincerity. She lifted her head and saw the man was almost angry. She though belatedly that the wife of Captain Kuchiki might not have been beloved by all.

"Kuchiki-sama. Kuchiki Byakuya would like a moment of your time." A manservant outside the door slide the door open and Byakuya walked in with a small woman at his side. She looked frail and weak, but a fire blazed behind mild tempered eyes.

"Isuin." As if avoiding honorific's if unsure which would be proper in such a situation he looked at Genrei and nodded his head slightly in greeting. Sadly it made Isuin look like a very close person to Byakuya as the woman at his side mouth near hit the floor.

"Hello. I have not been properly introduced. I am Isuin. You may call me as you see fit as I have a lot of history with the Kuchiki house. It is a pleasure to meet you." Isuin bowed to the woman and Byakuya seemed to tense slightly at the gesture. "I have been most rude though haven't I? Good afternoon Byakuya-sama." She bowed to him as well, but the mood he was in did not fade.

"I am Kuchiki Rukia. It is my pleasure to meet you as well... Isuin-sama..." It was cute to watch the girl wonder at the honorific's due to a woman who knew Byakuya so well. Well... who seemed on the outside to know him so well.

"I mean no disrespect, but will you be staying long?" Byakuya looked at Isuin with the normal amount of distain that he allotted for her and she smiled where as normally she would not have.

"You need not wait. I've come to speck with Kuchiki Genrei-sama and I have finished... May your evening be well Byakuya-sama." She doubted he would have looked at her any differently had the girl Rukia not been there and as such she was thankful. He had every right to be wary of her as a member and the current head of the Shihouin house. In fact, had she been from any other house she doubted highly that she would have even consorted with a member of the Shihouin house. Byakuya was much more kinder than she had taken him for.

"Sayonara, Isuin-sama." Isuin only caught Rukia's face as she passed, but she could tell the girl's mental gears where measuring her up and noting everything she could.

When Isuin arrived home she did not rest long. No, instead when she opened the door she was met by her least favourite person in all of Soul Society.

Ranzo.


	19. Chapter 19

"Hi!" Isuin stood in her doorway and was caught between the emotion of wanting to toss him from her sight and then the curiosity of wondering how and why he was in her room to begin with. Being emotionally drained made her answer a lot easier.

"Get out." Ranzo stood up from the bed and waited, which drove Isuin near out of her mind. She wasn't used to people outright not listening to her and she was about to personally show him that not heeding her warnings was not very wise in the slightest.

"I have a message from Zaraki. He wants both you and I to meet him and Yachiru some place." Isuin walked around him and he followed her with his eyes.

"Fine. You've delivered your message. Tell me where to meet them and leave..." Ranzo explained the location where the meeting would take place and turned to leave but ended up tripping over his own feet on the way.

"You really are an idiot. Did you know that?... Never mind all of that though. I have a question to ask you... Where did you learn flash step so well?" Ranzo looked up from the floor and rubbed his face.

"The academy of paper." She tilted her head to the side.

"I'm sorry. You learned flash step from paper?" She couldn't imagine having learned flash step so well with no actual lessons or a trainer.

"No, not paper... you know. The academy, the school of Origami?" Isuin had no idea what this moron was speaking about.

"You mean the Shinigami academy?" Ranzo nodded his head as he stood up and fell once more when he stepped on the hem of his pants getting up. "You're very good at it... Better than you are at walking normally. I find it hard to believe you when you say you learned something so hard in the school..." He was either a genius and hiding behind a facade of idiocy or was actually a fool that just so happened to know how to do something very hard, very well.

"Yeah... I guess that's why I was taken into the Goldfish 13." Again she had no idea what he was talking about.

"Goldfish?" She took back the comment of being a possible genius. There was no way in hell. "You surely mean the Gotei 13..." I cannot imagine where in the living world someone could have been more and not know how to say Shinigami or Gotei. How could they allow such an imbecile into the 13 squads when they're so completely stupid...?

She sat down on her bed and shook her head. The title of squad member was being defiled by his very existence. There had to be something she was missing about this person. Perhaps he was from a noble house as well. "Alright... I've had enough of you and your rambling. You can leave now... and should I ever need a message... hope that it isn't you, because I will kill you." And with little to no effort she picked him of the ground and tossed him out of her window. The door, after all, was too good for him.

Ranzo made a rather pleasing sound to her ears when he hit the ground and the position his body landed in was far from natural. Needless to say she left him that way.

"Goldfish... Origami! Is he making fun of us?! I'd sooner go and..." She stopped. She was not in a position to request anything for anyone so long as she was 'Isuin' rather that 'Isuka'. She couldn't even talk normally with anyone even if they knew she was a noble.

With the sun still high on the horizon Isuin set her head down on her bed and stare out the window. It would have been a nice and relaxing moment, but she could still hear Ranzo's grunts to correct himself, so rather than fight fate she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Hours had passed by and Isuin woke with a start. A sound had awoken her from a dream she couldn't remember and it was bugging her as much as the noise that had woke her. As she sat up in her bed she heard the noise again and pulling her clothes back into position she stopped at her windowsill and peered down.

In the tree on the branch just below her window was Ranzo. Asleep. Hanging upside down.

"You have got to be kidding me..." Irritated to the point to almost screaming into the early hours of the evening Isuin left her room and walked around the building to stare at Ranzo's almost peaceful looking face... It was bright red from the blood sitting in his face and with a sigh she pulled back her hand and slugged him in the face. "Wake up you idiot!" Ranzo landed face first into the ground at her feet, ass in the air.

"Oh..." Ranzo only groaned and Isuin fought back the need to drag him off some place and beat him for sleeping outside her window. She was about to pick him up when his face turned to the side and she stepped away in fear.

A white mask clung to his face. In some distant part of her mind she could not make herself believe that it was some kind of sick prank and that the mask was not actually what it seemed, but there were no strings holding the mask in place... no seams along the side to show that the mask was not a part of his face. When he did not wake up she nudged him hard enough to be lying on his back and stepped back again.

The mask only covered part of his face.

"Impossible." A hollow mask covered half of his face. He was not being torn apart like the other souls she had heard about as they were ripped from normality into that of a Hollow. Instead he slept as if this was nothing out of the ordinary.

He groaned again and turned to his side, facing right her. The edges of the mask began to return to spirit flesh as Ranzo's eyes opened. He instantly stood up and stood in the fighting position, his eyes angry, but human.

"You were going to assassinate me weren't you!?" She could only stare in confusion. He was himself, Sane and still a shinigami... but could a shinigami or even a spirit already in Soul Society become a Hollow? Did he even know what he was or what he was becoming?

"You were asleep in the tree outside my room... Why?" It was the only thing she could say. The words 'Are you a Hollow?' were stupid sounding and odd.

The last of the mask returned to normal skin as he rubbed sleep from his eyes, one hand still ready to defend against 'imminent' attack.

"You tossed me out the window and I got stuck. Now you wonder why I was in the tree?..." His hands dropped, but the fighting stance, though relaxed looking was still present.

"And... how did you sleep?" He raised an eyebrow and blush swept over his face.

"Well. I was dreaming about a cute girl that I'd saved from being devoured by an evil creature and she was so happy to have me save her that she offered to do anything to make up for it and... Are you some kind of pervert or something... Asking about my dreams?" He leaned over, bent at the waist and flicked is index finger back and forth. "You closet pervert..." He chuckled to himself and the body reacted before the brain.

Isuin grabbed him by shirt and dragged him off of her Divisions grounds.

"Get out." Again he landed on his face, ass in the air.

"Perv-ert..." A rush of red soaked her cheeks as his face turn to the side.

"I am not!" She went to kick him, but he dodged... or at least crawled away extremely fast... No. What he did was use Flash step to crawl away from her...

"Perv-ert!" Again she kicked at him and aimed for his head, but he Flash/crawled away from her foot. She would not be out done in this manner and pulled her leg back to kick him, but she flashed to where he would dodge next to avoid the first blow. She missed again, but by only a hairline.

"Call me a pervert again and I swear..."

"PERVERT!" Both flash stepped at the same time. One to attack and the other to dodge. "What kind of naughty dreams do you have?... Isuin... Who are you having such bad dreams about I wonder?... Perv-ert... Almost got me that time!..." She threw punches and he dodged while chanting things loudly into the night which made her want to kill him rather than beat him.

"I am NOT a pervert! Stop screaming!" Suddenly he was right in front of her. His face a scant inch from hers.

"Perv... ert." And he was gone completely.

Isuin stood shaking in rage. Her skin burned and Ranzo had disappeared... but not for long. "RANZO!" All that was left in her wake was an echo in the distance and a swirl of dust where she had been.


	20. Chapter 20

The night could have been as cool as standing unclothed in a winter blast. It could have been open plains with nothing to hide behind because Isuin was just behind Ranzo. He could match her speed easily enough, but when she pushed her own limits she could catch him. The gap between them closed slowly as with every passing moment he got hung up on parts of Seireitei he did not know.

"Ranzo... Do you think you can get away from me?" The chuckle that followed from his lips forced her to flash step harder to catch him and drive his body into the ground and perhaps... Perhaps far enough below that no one would ever find him.

A sound of impact stopped her mind from detailing the situation following his demise as she passed through a cloud of dust and smoke. As it cleared she felt a rush of air stream by her and ruffle her clothes. An impact mark bruised the side of a building, but there was no Ranzo.

"Ranzo!" It didn't matter that most of Seireitei was sleeping or that if she was caught making this ruckus that she was, would be reprimanded. So long as he was able to blast laughter at her from the distance between them he was not safe. She was going to kill him. "Sai!" (Restrain) Her spell shot outwards towards Ranzo and missed as he wheeled out of the way. In a sense the spell worked because it may have missed him, but he'd been slowed down and closed the gap between them.

"Hey Pervert!" Heat rose and covered her skin in a clammy sweat. "How come you haven't caught me yet?"

"Shakkaho!" (Red Fire Cannon) This time her spell arrowed directly at Ranzo, but his own spell shot back at her, detonating hers and then passing through it. She dodged to the side just missing his 'shakkaho', but it didn't look quite like hers... He was Kido inept as she recalled; it showed in every spell he seemed to use. If only this own spell had blown up in his face like the last one had and not destroyed hers... Why had it destroyed her spell when he was so inept?...

A light taint of orange painted the sky a long way off in the distance. She had been chasing him for a lot longer than she would have liked.

"Screw it..." She would get her chance later... they both shared a meeting together with Zaraki anyways... He would not get away then. Allowing Ranzo his chance to escape she dropped under the canopy of trees and stopped. A nice scent was on the breeze and it soothed a very agitated ego until she realized the meeting with Zaraki and Yachiru was on the completely other end of Seireitei. "Damn it."

About a half hour later of straight flash steps to her rooms for a change of clothes and another ten minute step to their meeting location and Isuin still found herself first at the site. Had she not been expecting her Captain and Vice-captain at any second she would have let out the pent up air in her lungs rather than slowly force her breathing to normal. After a few more minutes Isuin decided to relax rather than standing around all stiff and obstinate and the waiting game continued.

She waited until the sun had peaked at the highest part of the sky and Not Captain, vice captain or Ranzo were in sight.

"You have got to be kidding me..." She had been waiting for half the day and she'd given up on it. Her patience had run for long enough as is in her mind and she would not wait any longer, but as her walk back to civilization began, so it ended.

In the small space between tree branches sat a man. He was average in all meaning of the word and was hunched over staring at something... Ranzo. She stopped just behind him and sat on her haunches.

"He's had this coming for a while..." She had been thinking of getting the jump on him, but the man kneeling down spun around so quickly she was almost shocked he'd not snapped his own neck. His eye passed between her and between the trees where Ranzo stood oblivious... and talking.

To a Hollow. All thoughts of a gentle beating seemed to flutter like the wings of a butterfly.

"You know?" Isuin looked at the man and at Ranzo. She nodded her head, but wasn't really sure what the rest of her was doing. Ranzo still spoke with the creature... it was clearly a hollow and yet it did not attack him. Ranzo was not in the throngs of some kind of hollow possession. He was even smiling... could he be working with the hollows then?

"I thought... I'd guessed, but I've never seen the hollow separate from him... I've only seen what looked like the beginnings of a mask on his face; never the hollow itself though. Never this..." The man pulled out his Zanpakuto and levelled for a fighting position. "Wait. We can't fight like this. The Captains need to be informed about this... He's a shinigami and a hollow. I've never even heard of something like this before. Yamamoto-sama has to be informed. Ranzo needs to be taken in. I don't' even want to imagine the strength of a hollow/shinigami hybrid."

"Are you out of your mind? He might run or escape if we let him leave. He needs to be destroyed." His voice began to crest to hysterics and his eyes were wide and white. He was so frightened and his body looked ready to fall apart.

"No. I'm quite in my mind. What is your name? We really do have to bring this to the Captains... this is something that is beyond our control or power to deal with." With the last words out of her mouth the man's face and skin took on an almost grey shade; like he was ready to be sick. His eyes no longer wavered back and forth and he didn't shake or twitch. Instead he glared, his brow pulled together in frustration and something almost animal.

"You're protecting him..." She could see the image in his head as if it were a picture in her hands. This man thought she was defending Ranzo, perhaps trying to signal to Ranzo that he'd been made or was trying to pull what ever information he had before killing him. He was going mad.

"I am not protecting him. He is a danger to Seireitei and has to be dealt with, but this is not the way." He was not convinced and the sword in his hand tilted slightly upwards as his hands tightened on the blade.

"You are a traitor." That single word had a very bad side effect on her. She had heard it enough for a long time. "Yoruichi is a traitor." "She allowed that other Captain to escape." "She is in exile in the real world and no one has been able to capture her." In all seriousness it was among many thought she herself has had about Yoruichi, but Isuin was more understanding than the uptight nobles of Soul Society. Yoruichi must have had _good_ reason for the treason to help Kisuke and it wasn't hard to understand that no one could catch her. Yoruichi was the goddess of flash after all and everyone knew it. Isuin doubted that anyone had even been sent to try and recapture Yoruichi, but... Isuin was not a traitor.

"I am no traitor." She tried to keep her voice calm, but it shook and he could hear it clearly. Naturally he lunged, sword drawn back and clothes whipping in the wind. She dodged and withdrew her own Zanpakuto which was cool to the touch and with a handful of parries between them she wondered how this man was even accepted into the Academy. He was painfully slow with his movement. He was as easy to read as ink from a pen. "Stand down. I do not want to injure you." But he continued to swing at her. Both sides carefully avoided the use of Demon arts as it would easily be loud enough for Ranzo to hear if he'd not heard them already.

"You are a traitor, and I'll see to it that every captain and vice-captain know about it." The calm veneer she was holding onto faltered and slipped from her grasps. A small chime of bells rang out in her ears, and she watched in disconnection as her hands moved from a defensive position to attack.

"You have to run... You have to run!"  
>She screamed and watched in horror as her blade tipped down and forward into the man's chest like his skin, bones and organs offered no resistance. His eyes were on hers the entire time. They faded from the vivid, smouldering rage into vacant lifeless eyes. It was a foreboding thing to witness.<p>

"Isuin." She looked at the man and was startled when she heard her name called. Even more so when the man's' mouth did not move. It took a moment to realize that her name has not been said with vengeance, hate, or death. It was her name without emotion, without history, and further frighteningly still... Without a future.

**SS**


	21. Chapter 21

It wasn't the dead man speaking. No, he had been dead as soon as her sword had pierced his chest and entered his heart. No sound had left his mouth. No final death moan. The voice had sounded completely inhuman and the dead man did not own the voice. So when the body slid backwards off her blade, the remnants that was Shiroshin fading, Isuin saw it. If she was a death god then Ranzo was something else all together.

"Isuin." Again. No emotion. A blatant statement as if he was meeting someone for the first time and there was no dead body on the floor before her. No blood dripping from the hilt of her sword onto her. Staining her.

"Ranzo." Life entered the world in her single word. Emotion, pain, regret, fear, confusion... but mostly fear. His face was pale, like normal. His skin pulled softly at the contours except for around the eyes where they blacken slightly under perhaps a lack of sleep. But his eye... one was yellow. Like Liquid gold pouring from a sun... but in those eyes lay things that revealed her spirit to be wanting, evil and impure. His eyes carried all the hatred, wrath and utter pain that his face and body could not seem to contain in the slightest. And then he was gone.

"Ranzo?" He was traceable only by the physical form his anger took. It bent the fabric of the spirit world around him and she could feel him even if she could not see him. And he was fast; far too fast for her to defend herself as the back side of his blade smashed across her back and tore the shirt and skin underneath. The blood that ran down her onto her pant leg felt like fire on her chilled skin.

"Let me..." Again she felt the back side of his sword on her back and then her side. It sliced up her side and cut the inside of her arm and she knew. He was aiming to kill, but only after he humiliated her and made her unknowable from just looking at her.

"You killed him!" His voice was warped and twisted.

"He meant to kill you!" There was no pause in his attacks and she only dodged it enough to take a slash across her legs.

"Liar!" She would never explain herself in time. He would never believe her. "He was my friend!" Another attack. "My only friend!" Again. "Satoru would never!" He became visible in front of her and stood with his weapon high above his head. Her head was literally going to roll.

"Then why? Why would he attack me? Why did I have to kill him?" His entire body shook. The sword made small jingling sounds and for some reason she was counting them. "He... he saw you! And the hollow!" The other eye suddenly became yellow like the first and the shaking in his arms stopped. His teeth grit like he was forcing back from screaming.

"R-run..." She was stunned for only a half heart beat. "Isuin..." Something inside her froze solid. She had heard this tone before and it turned her stomach. "You _**have**_ no where you can run." Despite her insides screaming to run until she couldn't, find help, or even just cry... she turned back around. He stood with his sword at his waist and tilted down... almost lazily. One foot stood slightly before the other, ready to move in any direction and cut her off then cut her down. His other hand was also slightly behind him, shoulders down, head high.

This was not Ranzo.

"And why would you not kill me?" He was too cold to shiver at the voice. Not a hint of Ranzo remained. "Your job is to hunt me down. Snuff me out. Your kind has been around for ages wiping us out and we still stand on equal grounds. Neither stronger nor weaker than the other. Are you saying you killed that man when your own interests lay side by side? Do you dare?" There was no rage. Just an even tone. At least until he said the last sentence.

"I-I... w-wanted to turn you in. I wanted to turn you in!" She yelled because her voice couldn't say anything unless there was force behind it.

"You lie." His brows pinched slightly inwards.

"I do not!"

"Oh... don't you?" The side of his lips pulled a bit... but it was no smile. "Are you not 'Isuin'? I know you. Yes, I know you... Shihouin Isuka, Head of the Shihouin line after Shihouin Yoruichi. A rogue shinigami and a traitor to your own kind... Have you not lied to everyone you know, Isuka? You are a fraud. A liar and a murderer under the false call of duty." She was shocked into silence. He knew. Ranzo knew. **They** knew everything.

"I am no liar..." She said it again.

"Do you think if you say it enough to yourself that you may begin to believe it? Do you think I would believe this facade you play to all others and swallow it like a sweet pill? You have killed a fellow man... you are a murderer and thus a traitor. Just like your predecessor."

"I AM NOT!" She pulled her sword out and stopped less than half way. Instead she felt the prick of a tree behind her as it dug into her back that still bled. Ranzo's hand cut off the air to her lungs as it crushed around her neck. She could hear the blood pulsing in her ears, feel it in her cheeks. The mask that she had first seen the night before was complete on his face. His eye almost glowed in the shadow the mask made of his eyes. That bright yellow on white.

"Yes. You are." She realized his sword was put away, but she couldn't be sure. Her face was forced to look slightly up and her eyes had begun to sting and bulge with the lack of air to her head. He raised his other hand, empty of his sword, and pointed at her face with two fingers. "You will have a painless death... Unlike the many you have undoubtedly slaughtered." A faint glow of red pulsed around his finger and she wondered if blood had gotten in her eyes; when suddenly she was released. She fell to the ground but never felt the impact. She knew she was breathing in hard, to get much needed air before Ranzo struck again. Her arms moved, but she was not in command of them.

_Shiroshin? _

Ranzo's hand was encased in ice and he was not happy. Instead of chipping the ice off or even smashing it onto a tree to remove the ice he let it hang limp at his side like it was no longer a useful part of him.

"You are an abomination. You must be removed and destroyed." Isuin's lips moved and Shiroshin's voice whispered out. Isuin was no longer in possession of herself. "You are misguided and wrong in your statements. This will be your downfall. You should have left when you were able. This option is no longer available to you now." Isuin was screaming inside. Her hand gripped her sword. No... her Zanpakuto took ownership of herself.

"Tojikomeru no Kyuuten-kyouran!" A blast of air flowed outwards from her body. It ruffled Ranzo's hair and clothes. Without seeing, she knew barbed ice was forming around her arms and her knees wore a armour of cold death. All movement in the area around them ceased to exist. No sounds from birds or from the breathing of the only two people there.

"Your name?" Ranzo's Hollow knew she was no longer with Isuin.

"Shiroshin." Ranzo's hollow laughed outright.

"She even has a Zanpakuto with that kind of name? My, my, my... She must be so pleased..." Shiroshin did not answer anything else. She lunged using the flash step of Isuin's body and the knowledge of how to use her own abilities to the fullest. A fleeting glace at Ranzo told her he was out of his depth. Something was amiss that Shiroshin could do and Isuin could not. From inside the blackness of her own mind, Isuin knew Ranzo was slower and more deliberate in his movements. Even so he was able to curb her attacks, but she was relentless and he could not attack back.

White filtered down from the trees and began to litter the freshly green grass pure white. The heat of the sun did not melt the snow or slow its descent in the slightest.

_Shiroshin! Stop this! This is not your choice to make! Ranzo's life is on the line here!_

"This is no longer Ranzo. This is a Hollow and by your own ministrations an enemy by housing the spirit of a Hollow within." Ranzo moved and pointed his finger at her again before a raging cero passed by. It only managed to set her sleeve a flutter before she kneed him hard in the stomach. His breath whooshed out and he slammed head long into a series of trees.

_Shiroshin! Stop! _

"I cannot." Ranzo's looked up at her with eyes both yellow and black.

"God dammit Shiroshin! This is not your choice to make!" Shiroshin halted a scant metre from Ranzo. "You will regret this Shihouin Isuka."

"Bring down the starlight and burn the heaven with your kiss… Lay justice at gods feet while devils usurp the new day!" Isuin's voice bellowed from her own lips and dropped to her knees. "I am no liar... I am no traitor... Ranzo... and Hollow..." She smiled as she tossed her sword to the side and dropped forward on her face. Her arms had not reached out to slow the fall. The only reason she had even grinned was because Ranzo's head had hung to the side with exhaustion and they both remained alive. Shiroshin and his hollow had both gotten what they deserved... to be put in their own place.


	22. Chapter 22

Pain. Everywhere and nowhere.

And light.

Isuin woke with dirt in her mouth. The sun was still hanging in the sky, but that didn't seem right. Sounds bustled all around her and she barely registered the noise.

"Shihouin Isuka. Are you with us now?" Isuin tilted her head and looked into Division 4's Captain.

"Retsu Taicho..." Her head was going to explode. "Ranzo..."

"He has already been taken care of." _Oh, god no._ She forced her hands into the ground and tried to push herself up. "You must stay still Shihouin-sama. Ranzo is safe and has been taken back for full healing." The strength went out of her and she actually began to cry. "What happened here? Ranzo has been unable to say so far. He is in shock and does not seem to have full control of his mental faculties just yet." Isuin stretched her hands out into the ground and drew very still. The only thing in life she was most horrible at was lying.

Maybe she didn't have to...

"Ranzo and I met here by pure chance. I had been out looking for a place to train in private... I was attacked and Ranzo showed up. The other Shinigami... he died during this all." Isuin swallowed and a sickly clammy feeling made her want to be sick. "A hollow... a hollow attacked me. Both Ranzo and I pushed it back into submission... I'm not sure where it came from. How it got where it did. But it is here. Still." She finally managed to look up and away from the ground to Retsu taicho's face.

"You are most fortunate then. You both were spared." Isuin cried again and someone came over and took her hand.

"Can she be taken back now Retsu-sama?" Kyo's voice washed over her and then she was lifted up. "May we both see her back to your division? Please." Isuin looked behind him and saw Nao. _I will never stop crying..._

"That is fine. Thank you. Captains Zaraki, Kyoraku and I will remain to find out what we can about this hollow. What a frighteningly strong creature to have made it undetected into Soul Society. It must be found and destroyed..." Captain Retsu stood and walked away leaving Isuin's insides screaming.

After a short distance from the sight of the incident Isuin spoke up.

"I want to see Ranzo." If he didn't know what was going on he might do something stupid... or his hollow might.

"I've been told to take you right..."

"Kyo. Nao. I have to see Ranzo." Both said nothing but did as was asked of them. There was no getting around it. Ranzo had a Hollow hidden in him somehow. And it was intelligent like she couldn't believe. Only strong leveled Hollows were said to be able to speak, think and consume without animal instinct. The one inside Ranzo was like this. Smart, angry and yet harmless to Ranzo... In a sort. Ranzo hadn't wanted to fight with her. He had told her to run... and then there was Shiroshin... what had Ranzo's Hollow meant about Shiroshin name?...

Her head was splitting by the time they made it to where they were keeping Ranzo. He was not under arrest or any kind, but no sooner had she come to his room that she found him missing.

"Dammit. Kyo, Nao. I want him found." Isuin forced Kyo to release her into her own care and she went off to find the errant Ranzo.

It didn't take long.

She found him with his back against the wall that guarded inner Seireitei.

"Ranzo!" He looked up at her and bolted. "Stop!" And then he was gone. As fast as she had found him he had disappeared. She still didn't have the reitsu that he apparently had to flash step. "Idiot!" She stood on top a building staring at the uncountable places a man like Ranzo could hide. And then she didn't care.

She fell from the roof top.

And then grimaced at who stood at the bottom as if to catch her.

"Byakuya-sama..." _Damn him..._


	23. Chapter 23

"Bring her new clothes. These are not even good enough for repair... When she wakes I want to be notified."

Isuin didn't hear a thing. Drained, battered and mind not willing to coup with Kuchiki Byakuya made her very apt to stay in a state of unconsciousness. Her garments were changed as requested and the dirt, blood and grass stains that marred her skin had been cleaned away.

Naturally when she woke up, she felt the need to flee.

"You can't be serious..." She tore the blanket off of her and stood from the floor. No one stood in the room or guarded her and she didn't feel the presence from anyone outside the door.

The parade in her head went from playing soft toned flutes to the bang of marching drums.

"I have to leave..." Forsaking the door, she went to the window. It had become a rather interesting means of travel while in the Kuchiki Manor. "Why couldn't he have left me at Zaraki's door?... " _Never mind. I should thank him for it later..._

"What are you doing?" The voice, though whispered, was enough to have her drop out of the window and into the grass. Three stories wasn't much of a drop though... "Are you insane?" Red haired and tattooed images ran up to her.

"What do you want of me?" She wasn't feeling good but couldn't stomach the thought of throwing up in Byakuya grass... wasn't very noble sounding.

"I want to know what you are doing jumping out of that window. The one right there." He pointed and she looked back.

"I was escaping..." _I have to find Ranzo and I don't want to see Byakuya. What is it to you, Renji?_

"Which was completely unnecessary. The doors of this place are well maintained." Her head shot up and the Renji stood straight up.

"Byakuya-Taicho..." _Why do I have no luck? Why am I forever on the coattails of this man?... _Renji stood tall and proud. _As if Byakuya deserves it…_

"Byakuya-sama..." Isuin stood and bowed... and sighed. Renji looked ready to kill or keel over. She couldn't tell.

"You are well enough to leave it seems. Perhaps you will use the door next time." Mocking tone and all, she was two steps from leaving over his manor wall just so she could avoid his gate...

"You know what?... "Renji paled next to her. "You are a narcissistic, egotistical, self centered man with little concern for the welfare of those around you, so you will forgive me if my actions while inside your care leave me wanting. I have been attacked, beaten, misunderstood and pushed too far to listen to the likes of you... and... and." It finally started. She had felt it coming, but now it was too late to fight off the shock left over from Ranzo and the adrenaline crash that came with it. Not to mention the issues on the rise with Shiroshin. "I hate the way you speak, I hate the way you act and I hate your expensive clothes right down to the color of your eyes and the blood in your veins... I..." The tears flowed willingly and unabated. Byakuya simply stood unmoved while Renji looked ready to pass out.

Everything rushed through her. Ranzo, Yoruichi, Byakuya, Shiroshin, Zaraki, Kazuma... all of it. She couldn't take it anymore. She fought to take breaths in as her lungs tried to hold out on her, her voice failed to scream at him like she wanted so badly to do... Failures. She was surrounded in failures.

"Isuin..." Renji took her hand. She somehow had ended up on her knees. "You should leave."

Isuin shook him off and glared. Not only was Byakuya still standing before her, but just behind him was his sister, Rukia and grandfather Genrei... _Genrei-sama…_

"I take my leave..." She flash stepped in an instant and was gone. Renji held his breath the entire time.

Byakuya left without a word to anyone and when he found himself in his own rooms, isolated, he looked at the folded remains of the clothes she had once worn. They were torn, ragged, dirt-covered and ripped... the issue he had most problems with was the stains that had yet to dry and that they had the resonance of a Hollow still on them.

A Hollow that had made its way into Soul Society, undetected and with ulterior motives; why else leave two of the three it attack alive?


	24. Chapter 24

Isuin made it home and stalled at the door. _This can't get any worse, can it?_

"Rei-chan!" Isuin bowed and cursed fate.

"Zaraki Taicho, Yachiru fuku-taicho..." Zaraki was massive. She had never seen the man train, run, anything that would explain his massive disposition. He was just huge and awe-inspiring.

"Your late." _Oh no. You can't be serious..._

"My apologies Zaraki-Taicho. It will not happen again." _If I had a quarter of your strength I would kill you were you stand…_

"You didn't call for aid when you were attacked." _It was the least thing on my mind you war-mongering... GAH! _

"Again, my apologies. It won't happen again... May I inquire what your previous summons were about though? They were postponed due to... the hollow attack." Zaraki turned a steady eye and the bells in his hair rang. He side stepped and Ranzo lay bound in cloth on the ground.

"We played a game and Ren-chan lost. This was his punishment. Right Ren-chan?" Yachiru bounced down and rapped her knuckled on the top of his head. Ranzo scowled.

"May I ask where you found him?" She wanted to know where at least one of his hiding places was for the next time he tried to escape her.

"Ken-chan will tell you if you can win our game. Ready Ran-chan?" Ranzo sighed into the cloth gag and nodded. "Ok! Ready... Go!" Ranzo was released and he booked it right out the door. She didn't get an explanation, but was tossed outside by the sheer power behind Zaraki's Reitsu.

"Better move faster, pervert." She cringed, but didn't wait to be told again. It was apparent then that Zaraki's meeting was more of a sick version of hide and seek. Ranzo and Isuin were his proxy's and had no choice, but to run.

_I hate his version or training. It's just him beating on people and getting away with it._

"Ok. What the hell is going on here? Why did you run from me! Why are you... what you are? How is any of this possible? Why is he... move!" Isuin shouted and dodged right while Ranzo dodge left. Yachiru had shot something at them to make them pay attention to what was really important. Zaraki's sport.

Ranzo didn't answer and they both sped along roof tops at blinding speed. Zaraki's reistu slowly faded in the distance, but not nearly enough for Isuin to think she was safe... specially not when Ranzo was mere feet from her... hiding a Hollow within.

"We are not allies. We are not friends and I am not answering you anything. You killed Satoru. I will deal with you later..." Ranzo's image shifted and disappeared leaving her alone.

"I don't understand any of this..." She didn't have much time to think as Ranzo flew passed her again. and in the opposite direct. "Oh god no..." Zaraki came at her with terrifying speed and intensity. "Rei-chan better run!" And Isuin was gone. Using an extremely exhausting version of flash step, she near teleported out of range. Or so she thought.

"Not good enough." She only had enough time to register that she was going to get hit and hard, before it happened. Her body rocketed downward; she was aching, sore, mentally exhausted and didn't want to play this game anymore.

The bells chimed some more and Isuin cursed.

"Tsuriboshi!" *Hanging Star* A net formed below her and reached out to the surrounding buildings. It attached long tendrils of reitsu and caught her just as the spell finished. She turned and shouted out another spell that would hopefully give her some time to maneuver.

"Hyapporankan!" *Hundred-Step rail parch* Out of thin air rods made of light formed and circled around Zaraki.

"That isn't going to work..." Ranzo chanted from a long distance off. At least she had the guts to fight...

The rods suddenly rammed down on Zaraki and dust and smoke erupted from the contact. A moment passed and everything was dead silent. She peered over to where Ranzo had mocked her and he was long gone... the dust cleared away and Zaraki stood in his tattered captains cloak. Unharmed and unrestrained. A demonic smile wide across his face,

"Impossible..." She had hoped it would do something. Anything, but the look on his face said one thing.

_Your little spells aren't going to help you. You might as well run as fast and as far as you can, like Ranzo, if you want any chance to survive. Fighting me with anything less than killing intent is as good as a bag of dirt in a desert storm. _

_Useless._

Isuin about to flee and then stopped as a black butterfly passed her by for Zaraki.

_I'm saved…_ and then from in the distance a voice echoed explosively.

"YES! HaHA!" Ranzo did a moonwalk, disco dance, pelvic thrust and booked it knowing fully well that the butterfly was a summons and that for now; Isuin and Ranzo were spared.


	25. Chapter 25 OVA

A week had passed by in a very uneventful type of way. A few conversations had passed between her and Kazuma and he explained issues that had arisen and been fixed. She praised him for his prowess and he remained a foundation for her improvement. He was always supportive and there. She did not know what she would do if he was not in her life.

As per the other events of her life, she had taken to avoiding Byakuya like a plague. She didn't want to face him when she knew very well that she was in the wrong. She also knew that an apology was in order towards Genrei. He would be most angry with her and her actions. She knew better.

Then there was Ranzo. He had fallen off of the globe for all she knew other than the odd stories that would pass her here and there about him. The investigation into the hollow attack was ongoing and she had been called in many times for questions, but nothing seemed to be happening in any way. She assumed Ranzo was being questioned as well and that he had not let slip about what he was.

In the pit of her gut she felt the constant need to confess, but knew very well that it would result in her removal from Seireitei and more than likely life confinement under Kurotsuchi Mayuri or death, which between the two they are almost the same. At least in death she would feel no pain.

_I can't win. Everywhere I look is someone looking to condemn me._

"Ah! Isuin-san!" She turned around and forced a neutral look on her face. "How have you been?" Isuin looked at the girl with the smallest hint of recognition.

"I have been well. And you?" _I have no idea whom this is… just go with it. She clearly knows you._

"Fantastic! I have been busy trying to find my place as a Shinigami. Since school I have made great progress. Not as much as you though… First in Kyoraku taicho's division and then in Zaraki's… How is it being under Zaraki? I hear he is a mean task master… Even is subordinates looked mean…" Isuin nearly smacked herself. She recalled going to the academy with this woman and had even done a few project alongside her.

"Ah… Zaraki is a difficult captain, but they all are. They all have duties and responsibilities… it is a very big deal to be a captain." _Yeah, right. Zaraki is a war mongering cretin and has nothing better to do then to chase his lesser members of his division around in some kind of sick game and…. Gah!_

"I see. You must be very busy then, being in a squad and such…" The woman rambled on and Isuin couldn't help but realize that she never had any duties since being in Zaraki's division aside from running for her life. "So? What do you think? Isuin-san…?" Isuin snapped out of her thoughts sharply.

"Ah yes. Of course I would…" _What have I just agreed to…? I have to start paying attention. All of this stress… this is not how a noble acts._

"Oh, thank you so much… I didn't actually think you would agree to a double date. I'm so glad though. You look like you need some time to relax… and you never know. This might turn out in you favor… Anyways. I'll see you at quarter to seven." Isuin watched the girl leave and she stood confused. _I'm doing what at seven tonight? Marvelous. You've just signed up for something stupid like night watch or the likes… Dammit._

The hours ticked by and she ignored the raging feeling in her gut that said to find the woman and tell her she had to bail. Instead she opened a box with a kimono she had brought from her own estate for reasons beyond her. With failing attempts she put on the kimono and then required Nao's assistance in finishing. It was amazing how apt Nao was for a man and she hugged him before she left her rooms. Nao was so natural to be around, had Isuin had any thoughts about the opposite sex, she was sure Nao would be someone she would have ventured for. But as it was, Isuin had placed her heart as last on the list of things she required.

Isuin swallowed her pride and decided this was a good venture. To act as a normal person and enjoy the company of another with good food and entertainment. She had been good friends with the woman during the academy and was surprised she had not tried to keep in contact. She had no female companions now that she thought about it so what could be the err in one night having a good time.

Despite showing early for the double date Isuin found her sitting next to the woman one more as she rambled about this and that. She had to force herself to follow the conversation that almost pained her to no end to listen to. She had forgotten how much the woman could talk... It was then that a pair of men turned the corner and the woman at her side jumped to her feet.

"That's them, Isuin-san. You look very pretty, you should have no problems with the date tonight."

_Ah…Ah…. No…. impossible. Fate has to be playing some kind of sick joke. Someone has to be hiding in the shadows waiting to shout 'surprise'! at me…. There is no one here, but us. This is no prank….. this is happening._

"Ei…." Isuin nearly sprinted across the couple that had been introducing her to the other unsuspecting victim of fate. She spun the man around in a circle with her arm lock in his and gave him the following information in one passing glance.

_Make a scene and I will kill you. Ruin this moment for those two and I will kill you. Speak about anything not necessary at this very moment and I will kill you. Your life depends on this night going well for those two._

Ranzo looked down at her and grinned and evil grin as he pulled his arm into his side, crushing Isuin's arm.

"I'm so glad to be here. Let's have a good night, shall we?" Isuin tried to remove her arm from Ranzo before he killed it and was forced to pinch him with her free hand when the other couple turned and lead the way towards the restaurant they would be eating at.

"You will pay for this..." Isuin whispered and rubbed her arm while Ranzo stuck his foot out and tripped her. She was unable to correct herself and fell into the dirt.

"Oh… Isuin-san." The couple turned around and a hand lifted her onto her feet. Ranzo was all sweet and gentleman like. It was a lie. A big lie. A sickening, false, rancid lie.

"It's alright… I've got you, Isuin-san…" Ranzo picked her up and smiled a smile that to everyone else said 'you poor thing', to her said 'This will be a night you will remember for life'. "You are such a clumsy girl, aren't you?" Isuin grinded her teeth together and smiled for the couple.

"It was an honest mistake… You couldn't have known that you had stepped on my kimono. We are a clumsy group, aren't we?" Her smile passed on much the same as his. 'silly boy. I was trying to help you save face' turned into 'I will string your entrails as holiday decorations, princess'.

The couple was completely oblivious to the war that was raging between Ranzo and Isuin and they both knew that the night was going to be a very long one indeed.


	26. Chapter 26 OVA

Both Ranzo and Isuin sat in a location neither wanted to be. They had wound up after an evening of torture outside on perimeter of the Kuchiki manor. Neither was able to catch their breath and as they sat side by side, differences not forgotten, both grimaced as they twisted the flesh of the other between their fingers.

"Let go…. Of me." Isuin clenched her other fist and slammed it down on the bench that they sat on.

"You… first…" He spoke from behind grinding teeth.

"I don't believe you… splashed me with rice-wine…" She looked away and dug her fingers into her palm.

"You lit my pant leg on fire!" He shouted at her tuned face. His face red from holding his breath.

"You put up a barrier on the women's bathroom door!"

"Oh, and what about that stunt at the fountain display? You shocked the water and put my hand in!" Isuin grinned and looked back.

"Yeah… and I'd do it again…. Princess."

"You are the worst origami!" She snorted, his Japanese pronunciation had oddly enough become pristine with alcohol in his system, it was now fading back into being less than apt.

"It's Shinigami! Shinigami you fool! It's the Gotei 13; not goldfish and it's a zanpakuto, not sand-pacman!" Isuin was this close you using a high level kido and blasting the blighted fool to pieces.

"We'll at least I'm not a pervert!" Isuin's finally let go of his arm and she hauled of a punched him which sent him sliding face fist alone the ground. He coughed and picked himself up slowly.

"I am NOT A PERVERT!" She was nearly screaming and Ranzo laughed then.

"No? It's either pervert ot pyscho!" He stood up and pointed right in her face which she was about to blast of with a kido spell until he continued to speak. "You chase me all around Seireitei and tried to kill me!" He pulled out something from his jacket and tossed it at her face. Sure enough it hit her and she rubbed her face as she picked the odd object up.

.

It was a shoe... A shini...gami...shoe...

.

She looked up at him, her one eye twitching and Ranzo had the largest grin of his face that she had ever seen.

.

"You chased me all over town just to get this shoe back once..." She hit him with the shoe.

"T-This is Byakuya -sama's! What else do you have you theif! You idiot!" She recalled an event she had tried very hard to remove from her memory. All the more now since it involved Ranzo. "Give me everything else back that you stole!" She yanked at his sleeve and dove threw his inner pockets with her other hand. "How could you?" She pulled out a pair of glasses and gasped. "Tosen-taicho..." She riffled around more and pulled out another object. It was a clutch of hair... "Soi-Fon-sama... You Bastard..." The entire memory unfolded on her from before the time she had first recalled meeting Ranzo.

.

This is where it had actually all begun.

.

.

_._

_ "Kyoraku-taicho! Kyoraku-taicho!" Isuin halted abruptly before her captain and bowed. "I have a warning for you! There is a thief in Seireitei and his is claiming items from all of the Captains! You must check your belonging at once!" _

_The thief had gone about from Captain to Captain and retrieved an item from their person. They had already stolen the very hair from Soi-fon's head and Captain Tosen had claimed to have given up his glasses to the man. She had been about to continue when she spied her Captain putting some of his weight to one side. "Kyoraku-taicho... where is your hat...?" He glanced up at the sky and sighed._

_"The thief already got to me... I was injured in the process..." She peered behind him and watched as Nanao fuku-taicho all but sneered._

_"I-I shall reclaim your possession at once! This cannot be allowed! Nanao fuku-taicho. Please be careful!" Isuin spun and ran off before Nanao could inform her to not bother. As it turned out, Captain Kyoraku had allowed the thief to both injure and steal his property in an attempt to gain sympathy from his cold hearted lieutenant. It had failed._

_"Who would dare steal a thing from any captain in Seireitei... and to be skilled enough to cause harm to Kyoraku-sama... This cannot be allowed... I will find this person and punish them most severely..." Isuin wove in and out of the streets looking for any suspicious people before stopping off in the next district._

_"Ah... Little Isuin-san..." She stopped and dropped to the ground and regretted it immediately. _

_"Ichimaru-taicho... I hope that you have remained unscathed in this time of tribulation... and your close friend Aizen-taicho." She bowed and gave her best attempt at not glaring._

_"Of coarse... Who would want to steal anything from Aizen-sama? But this theif is stealing rather odd items as it seems... to have gotten away with the very hat of Kyoraku-taicho's head... how embarrassing..." He smiled at her and she swallowed her contempt._

_"Yes... I will be on my way now... Please take care..." _

_"You know..." She waited while he continued. "It is almost like this thief is stealing personality... no? I wonder... What would it that he would steal from you if he had the chance?" The neutral face she had forced for him washed away and her dislike from him showed clearly._

_"Seeing as I have very little, he could only take something small... Perhaps if he took that smug..."_

_"Ah, ah, ah... you wouldn't want to say anything that might not seemed honorable, now would you?" The grin on his face widened and Isuin could only clench her jaw._

_"So very true. I would not wish to waste such words when they would fall on deaf ears... Good day, Ichimaru-san." He bent slightly and put his hand on her shoulder. She was seconds from shoving him off of her and telling him off._

_"No honorifics... I do believe young Yachiru calls you 'Rei-san' correct? Well, Rei-san... you should really offer the proper honors to some one of my position..." _

_"You are most correct, Ichimaru-taicho..." Ichimaru let go of her and walked away laughing._

_"So serious... I was only playing..." He never did look back and she moved before she did something stupid like blast him with a kido spell... She could only think of how much that man creeped her out and pissed her off._

_._

_._

_._

_ Isuin spent the next two hours tracking down captains and finding out who had been attacked so far and deciding whom she would guard so as to have the chance to catch his thief. As it turned out the following things had been stolen so far._

_Soi-Fon's hair tie_

_Kyoraku-taicho's hat_

_Tosen gave up his glasses (A spare)_

_Ichimaru had been asked for his smile... (stranger yet)_

_Zaraki had given the theif a few bells (strangest still)_

_ As such the remaining captains yet to be bothered were Byakuya, Mayuri, Yamamoto, Toshiro, Joshiro, Aizen, Komamura and Retsu. She made for the first on her list which was Byakuya and knew that off all things to be taken from that man would be his scarf. That stupid scarf that could feed all of Rukongai... she made it halfway to his manor when she stopped and spied him walking normally._

_"He's a Kuchiki... he can protect himself, I'm sure..." She decided against guarding him and instead passed him by. Had she cared to have taken a closer look, she'd have noticed he was slightly unbalanced in his walk due to a missing shoe._

_._

_._

_._

_ Basing her next effort on location alone, Isuin went to the lower levels of Seireitei and jumped over the walls surrounding district 7 and stopped. She spied a Shinigami clad figure... with his shirt pulled up over half his face._

_"You can't be serious..." The theif that was going around and stealing items from the strongest people in Soul Society... was hiding his face with his shirt. Suddenly the man crouched and she followed his path of sight. "Komamura-taicho..." Komamura turned as if he had heard her and she raised her hand to point at the thief. "Komamu...!" She was drowned out with the absurd scream of the thief._

_"Bucket head! Give me... your bucket!" He sat on top of Komamura and reefed on his head trying to remove the protective helm that encased the 7th division's captain face. She could only stop breathing as the theif continued to pull and yank. The massive hand of Komamura raised and captured the little man and tossed him to the ground. Glasses, hair piece, shoe and hat all came tumbling out of the pocketed inside of his shirt._

_"Inconceivable..." She stepped forward as the man pulled the hat over his head and pocketed the rest. He rose from the ground and pointed a finger at Komamura with menacing spite._

_"I'll come back for you..." And he was gone. This man was versed very well in flash step; she had no choice but to chase after him and capture him herself._

_"Come back here!" She flash stepped and followed after the reistu that oozed out from the man while he flash stepped his escape. That was when the reistu trail stopped. She'd lost him in a crowd full of people in the market below._

_._

_And explosion knocked rocks and debris everywhere._

_._

_._

_Silence blanketed the scene after the screams of the people and a single word tore through air._

_._

_"Bankai!"_

_._

_Isuin rushed around the corner and tried to peer through the fog and smoke._

_"Holy shit!" She heard the theif curse and she shivered violently as she recalled the voice of the captain the thief had just attacked. It was Kurotsuchi Mayuri... The theif suddenly came out from the smoke and knocked her to the ground while a particular captain's scarf and mask hung from his face. She had enough time to stand before a bellow rent the air and passed her by in a flourish fog._

_"Gah!" The theif turned to see Kurotsuchi Mayuri's unleashed his zanpakuto in its glory. "Giant Angry Caterpillar baby! Giant angry caterpillar baby!" Ashiusogi-Jizo reared up and tried to smash the man-thief-idiot into the building._

_"That stupid man... I will cut him open for my amusement and store his entrails for something possibly useful in the future..." He turned and look saw Isuin standing there. "Are you part of this entire charade?" She gulped and backed away shaking her head. She was too startled with having seen what Mayuri actually looked like to speak. She was surprised with how attractive the man was physically yet how complete psycho he was on the inside._

_"N-no Kurotsuchi-taicho..." He looked away from her and they both realized that the thief had somehow escaped them both. "Son of a..." She glared at Mayuri as she flew passed him to track down the elusive theif and bring him to justice... She didn't wish Mayuri on any person, but so far the theif was deserving dissection. "Come back here thief!" She called out in frustration and was completely surprise when the theif answered her. _

_"Go back there? With THAT thing there? Oh hell no." She spotted him and tore after him, both flash stepping with unbelievable ease through Seireitei._

_"Give back what you have stolen!" He looked back and grabbed the mask that almost fell off of him._

_"Go Back? Your nuts... and why are you chasing me? I didn't steal anything from you... You're not important enough..." He swung hard to the left and she followed after him._

I am one of the Noble houses of Seireitei you stupid, brainless idiot!

_"Bastard... Hainawa *Crawling Rope*" A shot of yellow lightning shot out from her hands and homed towards the theif. He dodged yet again and she missed capturing the fool._

_"Y-YOU TRIED TO KILL ME!" He suddenly flash stepped a level higher and she lost him._

_"Come back here!" His reistu vanished again and she lowered to the ground level to chase him on foot. Chances are that was what he was doing as well and sure enough she found him._

_"THEIF!" His face turned as he looked down a road she could not see. His face going from stricken to completely content._

_"Bye bye..." He waved at her and disappeared behind the wall to the other road and she followed; mostly. She turned the corner he had and stopped dead in her tracks. A hard something stood in her way and she wondered if she had turned down a dead end until she looked up and cold shot threw her blood. _

_._

_._

_The theif laughed from behind the massive form that was Captain Zaraki. The Captain himself wore a rather frightening look as he peered down at her._

_"I have been looking for a chance to fight you. What luck..." She ignored the theif taunting her from behind saying things like 'you're so screwed!' and 'this is great!'_

_"Zaraki-taicho...this man. He is a theif and must be taken in for his crimes..." She got up and stepped away. Of all the people in Soul Society, Zaraki was the only one she wouldn't have tried to help if her life depended on it. He had tried to make her fight with him, spare with him, and she had no idea why... The very sound of the bells in his hair was enough to send her back the way she had come or to outright run._

_"Ignore him... your issue is with me now..."_

.

.

Isuin shook her head and yanked at Ranzo's shirt again before smacking him with the shoe.

"You are an imbecilic! You should not be allowed to be a Shinigami!" She pulled her hand back again to strike him and stopped as the shoe was yanked from her hand. "Ah..." She looked back and almost died. "Byakuya-sama..." He looked at her and then to Ranzo whom she was straddling.

"I should hope that next time you will plan these 'activities'... indoors and not outside my manor. You are extremely loud..." Isuin gawked and choked as Ranzo begged for help.

"Help me... Cool guy... I tried to tell her no and she attacked me..." Byakuya ignored Ranzo's plea and she got up from the very compromising position she had been in.

"Byakuya-sama. It is not as Ranzo says." But he was gone and when she looked back Ranzo was gone as well. "I must fix this... I would never... with that moron...!" She took back the Kyoraku-taicho's hat and Soi Fon's hair tie that he'd left behind and wore to return them. She couldn't imagine the week getting worse until next day she received in the mail the bill for the new Shinigami outfit she was forced to borrow from Byakuya.

"That...That Bastard..." She crumbled the bill and burned it using kido and was forced to dump the flowers she had received from Hanataro a week before to put out the flames she set on floor mat.


	27. Chapter 27

The next 7 years had passed in a blur of mundane work and worse. Isuin had managed to gain a hold on the spill of reitsu that leaked from her body and had a rather good relationship with her Zanpakuto, Shiroshin. Though their relationship had moments both good and bad; little had gotten in the way of their improvement or fighting strength. She had also come to an odd place with the current head of the Kuchiki noble house. After the incident with Ranzo outside his home, she had managed to find a place where both could speak on equal terms without wishing the other some kind of misshape; their equal ground being work and the improvement of their own house. They never spoke of again of the argument which ensued from his billing her for the cost of the items as they had both been reprimanded from Genrei about being 'childish and small'.

Isuin had also come to a plateau with Ranzo. Six months had passed after she had attacked him for stealing her old captain's hat. In that time he had fought on her behalf (Only because he wanted to glory for taking her out himself) and she had also come to a point where she felt she had gotten back at him for all he had done to her…. If anyone cared to ask Isuin about the matter she would only laugh and grin. As it turns out, after returning the hair tie to Soi Fon, the Captain of the Black Ops had taken it into her mind that she had to claim Ranzo as part of her division. In laymen's, Soi Fon was to Ranzo as Zaraki was for Isuin. As the years had passed Ranzo had managed to figure out the truth and forgive her for the death of Satoru. They had almost, almost become friends and she didn't care so long as he stopped his failing attempts to kill her.

As for what the current situation in her life was, she was no part of any squad and had not been for a while. She had been forced to return to her duties as the head of the Shihouin household. It had been a nice break and while very few knew the identity she actually bore name to, it was nice that both Nao and Kyo were part of that. They made a few visits to her manor on the outskirts of Soul Society when duty allowed them the time.

.

.

"Isuka-sama. A moment of your time please?" Isuka opened the door to her room and to allow Kazuma inside. He passed her by and stopped by the desk in her room. It was littered with paper work and quills along with other things she was forced to address. "You have a message from Soul Society…" She ran her hand through her hair and took the butterfly that sat perched on Kazuma's finger.

_Shihouin Isuka. You have immediate orders to accompany a small group of Shinigami into the human world. Due to constraints on the Captains of the 12 squads they are unable to proceed into the human world themself. You will be accompanied by shinigami's Aburai Renji, Tachibana Nao and Kaname Tsuhitosa… _

Isuka barely heard the rest of her mission as she sighed and allowed the butterfly to return with her agreement to the mission. She was stuck with Renji and Tsuhitosa… At least she has Nao.

"You are to go to the human world? That is odd… it is very strange to send a Shinigami who is not a squad member to such a place… Are you sure you should be agreeing to this? Isuka?" Isuka sighed again and answered Kazuma.

"Who can say what is going on with those Captains and such… I have fulfilled a part of my duty to bring back a slight amount of honor to our house… As a previous member of the squads and a higher class Shinigami it is only fair to ask my aid if they need it."

"It sounds more like they are trying to test you or something… From what I have heard, strange happenings have been taking place in the human world of late…" Kazuma couldn't explain further than that and he could not tell her why he knew what he did. He could only hope she would take his advice with a grain of salt.

"That is soul society's way though… I have only to do as I am asked. You will protect this place for me as always. You are the head in my absence, Otosan." She embraced him and left to seek her first group member out. Aburai Renji was a very capable fighter, but his kido was all but useless. Nao was talented in both as a balanced fighter and then there was Tsuhitosa whom she could honestly care less about.

In the forty minutes she took to actually walk to the Kuchiki manor she had come to the follow conclusion. She was going to the human world with a small group; she had never been allowed access to the human world before and had thought they would never allow such in fear that she was a comrade with the previous Shihouin head. Something strange was actually happening and she could almost guarantee that she was being tested. Kazuma was always right and she had learned to listen long ago rather than fight him.

"Kuchiki Byakuya-sama will be with you in a moment." A servant of the Kuchiki house bowed and left her alone in the large room with a tea in her hands. She was glad to not have to wait long as Byakuya was often busy.

"Shihouin Isuka-sama, a pleasure." He entered the room and she set aside the tea long enough to bow in greeting and seat herself one more.

"Byakuya-sama, you have been informed more than likely before I myself, that I have been put in charge of a small group including your Aburai Renji." She sipped the tea and watched his face for any signs of anything really. "I'm here to inquire about his skills as a Shinigami and what I can expect from him. I would like to know about his strengths and weakness before taking him into the living world… I have been informed of rather interesting news of late and hope that my team is capable to handle all we may encounter…" His face changed only for a moment and it had been when she mentioned the happenings of the human world. She was glad that he would not inquire being whom he was and that she would not have to lie her way through it as such. She grinned into her cup before setting the empty porcelain aside.

"I have been informed prior to you for the approval sending Aburai-san out of Soul Society alone, but yes. I am aware. As to Aburai himself, he more than capable, but his skills in the demon arts are lacking. Something he is unable to correct. If there is nothing more than that I shall see you out…" He did not get up from his chair and she did not move.

"I am not being sent to the human world to spy on the happenings alone, am I? I've been sent to hopefully act as a catalyst for something… have I not?" He said nothing and she didn't care. "So be it… I will bring my findings back with me. Thank you for your time. Should anything else be required of the Shihouin household I have left it in the care of the side branch; you will see Kazuma-sama if my house is needed. Sayonara, Byakuya-sama." Both rose from their chairs and he lead her out of the manor as often he did when she required him. It was often a difficult thing seeing as he loathed Yoruichi-sama and he saw a shadow of her perhaps in Isuka. Her next stop she made was to Kyoraku-taicho and that was simply to catch up and talk rather than inquire on Nao's skill. Isuka had more than enough knowledge based on her sparring matches they shared when Nao visited with her brother.

"Ah Isuin-san… How you have grown. Most beautiful. I was a very sad thing to see you leave Seireitei…" They spoke in a manner that was open to all that heard yet between only the two of them. It was still thought throughout Seireitei that she was simply a Shinigami by the same of Isuin. It made her visits to the populated areas of soul society much easier; except where Zaraki was concerned. She still had to fend him off when he found her… it was a most exhausting thing. She was thankful that although she had reached Shikai, that she had not been forced to use it on him…

"I was sad to go. I did a great amount of growing in your care… and Zaraki-taicho's as well. I am grateful, truly to you and Nanao-sama... Where is she? It is not often that she leaves you to your own machinations." Kyoraku smiled into his sake cup. Isuka knew then that he had managed to give Nanao the slip once again and she also knew she didn't want to be here when Nanao found him.

"Isuin-san… Be careful in the human world… it is a dangerous place." She nodded and left him on the roof of the science department. She knew for sure that this was no normal mission now and had only one last stop before meeting her group in person and leaving soul society behind.


	28. Chapter 28

Kaname Tsuhitosa had been transferred a few times to different squads in the time it took Isuka back to her roots as a Shihouin. He had settled into her least liked Division as if to spite her and so without further pushing aside the inevitable, Isuka dropped down from the science roof top and to the front door where she would ask permission to meet with the Mad Scientist, Kurotsuchi Mayuri.

The moment Isuka landed she heard the whirring sound of four or five different camera's swing to look at her. The door questioned in a mechanical voice for identification from which she gave willing despite being creeped out by it all the same.

"Ore wa Shihouin Isuka." Her name did not seem to be enough to gain her entrance alone and the door opened to reveal Lieutenant Nemu.

"You wish to speak with Mayuri-sama? He is very busy with an experiment and will not be disturbed. You will have to return later." Isuka weighted her options and did the only thing aside from leave that she could.

"Tell Mayuri that I am taking a trip into the living world. It is unsure as to how long that I may be away, but I am offering in exchange for a few answers, to bring back a few things that he may require… so long as they will not cause issue with security." Nemu, unsure of whether to risk bothering her Captain or not figured the worst she could do was being wrong.

"I will speak with him. Please wait here and I will return for you." Nemu left her standing in the door way and Isuka remained rather still. She had the odd sensation that the camera's might turn into traps of some kinds and she would become a toy for Mayuri.

"I've been around Ranzo far too much… he has infected me with his bothersome fears." The camera's swung again and she knew that Mayuri was controlling them and deciding whether to admit her and listen to her request. It wasn't until her heard the load clanking of gears moving above her that she lunged forward into the steel building. The door slammed down behind her and just missed taking her head off. "The least you could have done was giving me a warning!" Isuka bellowed into the dark hall and did not wait for her escort.

Large black pipes snakes around the walls, lights flickered on control panels all over the place and she could feel the cold touching her like spirit fingers from the steel walls. Once in a while a breeze would cross her nose, but it was not air she smelt in it, only some kind of acrid stench that burned her sinuses.

"This way Shihouin-sama." Nemu eventually came to get her. Mayuri probably feared leaving Isuka to her own devices being not technology apt in the slightest.

"Hurry and ask what you came to ask. I cannot be badgered like this like I am busy. My time is important and you… you are not." Isuka bit back a roiling retort.

"I wish to have a quick sum of a member of your squad…"

"Tsuhitosa. Yes, I know. I was the one that offered him for the mission. I have already told him to go to the living world and bring me back what I need. You are not required little child…" She didn't buy it for a second.

"Then why did you allow me into your highly defended base of operations, Mayuri?" His face darkened slightly and he looked at her with steady eyes. He bore into her for a moment and continued as if she had not questioned his motives.

"But I realized that the percentage of having just one do what you ask is rather ignorant. He could die and then I would receive nothing for my work… Tsuhitosa has his list of things I require. Should he die in the living world I demand you bring back whatever he has managed to find thus far. Do that and I will give you what you want." Isuka studied him intently and agreed. The moment she did so Nemu produced a manila folder dated almost two weeks ago. Mayuri had made it the moment he'd given his squad member up and learned that she was leading the team. It was enough to make her wonder just how readable of a person she was and that perhaps she should work on some of her habits.

"This way Isuka-sama."

Isuka was walked out and Nemu never shifted from the doorframe until the door slammed shut, locking Isuka out. Even the camera's shifted away as if she were longer a threat. This was no longer her problem though and she slid her nail down the sealed end of the folder that contained Tsuhitosa's file information.

NAME: Kaname Tsuhitosa.

DIVISION and CAPTAIN : 12, Kurotsuchi Mayuri

ZANPAKUTO: Mizuhame

RELEASE: Suibotsu or Submerge

TEIR: Shikai (water based)

KIDO: 1 2 3 (4) 5

SKILL: 1 2 3 (4) 5

NOTATION: Tsuhitosa has a lack-luster zanpakuto and with no unique qualities. His fighting skill leaves noting to the imagination as does his Demon Art capabilities. He does however have the ability to take large amounts of damage and would make a decent shield if required. Tsuhitosa has reached the level of Shikai and his strongest skill in union with his Zanpakuto is to swallow his enemy in a sphere of water and drown them. This can be done to multiple enemies at once either separately or altogether.

Isuka frowned at the notation. It was clear that Mayuri cared little for anyone it seemed aside from his projects and experiments. Naturally she could assume that Tsuhitosa would be equally nasty and unlike help on the mission to come as she had feared.

"This is going to be grand…"

The sun had dipped low in the sky by the time she had arrived at the world gate. A black butterfly dropped down and informed her that her squad was ready and assembled.

"Time to go…" Isuin rounded the corner and paused before her three aids. Nao remained neutral which made Isuka glad. She wouldn't stand for any one saying she was showing favouritism to any particular member of her team. Tsuhitosa leaned back on the ball of his left foot and was clearing unimpressed with the turn of events while Aburai Renji stood still and at attention. He was a serious man it seemed but that also was natural when you took into account his Captain.

"Shihouin-sama." Renji gave his full attention to her and she nodded stiffly.

"You are aware that we are heading to the human world of extreme importance. It is unknown the level of danger that may be waiting for us, but I demand three things of you during this mission. First, you will never leave a comrade behind. You will not take extreme action unless ordered by me and lastly, you will return with me to Seireitei. Understood?" Nao and Renji nodded while Tsuhitosa grunted. Unfortunately she was going to have to correct his attitude before they even entered the living world.

"Kaname Tsuhitosa. You will follow my orders. You will adhere to my rules or I will leave you on this side of the gate. Do I make myself clear? Because I am sure your Captain would be greatly disappointed if you should fail in any aspect of this mission." His eyes darkened, but he nodded all the same.

"What is our mission to the living world anyways? It's not often that Shinigami are sent over there." Nao looked at Tsuhitosa and he looked away from her knowing full well what her secret was.

"Soul Society has had a number of odd accounts coming to them from the living world including a rise in human attacks and other odd phenomenon. We are heading out to clarify and validate these occurrences. We are likely to engage low level Hollows and as my first order, should any encounter anything more than that… you are ordered to run. Do not engage. I will request additional aid and the threat will be dealt with from there." The gate before them hummed slightly and the Shinigami guarding the door gave her leave to access the gate to the living world. "It's time to head out. Stay close, should we have to separate we will divide into two cells. I will pair with Aburai and Tsuhitosa will pair with Nao… Chances are this is going to be nothing but a bug hunt, but just in case. Be careful."

Isuin passed through the gate and walked out into the cold air of the living world. It was snowing, something she'd never really seen before and was surprised by it. Nao, Tsuhitosa and Renji appeared beside her as they all surveyed the living world for the first time and though they remained invisible to the eyes of normal living people, not everyone in the town of Karakura town were normal.


	29. Chapter 29

A well-oiled machine works most times and that same spoke for Isuin's group. Aside from Tsuhitosa who clearly wanted no part of the group while he surveyed the area of Karakura town. Small flakes of white drifted on a chilled breeze and Nao looked about.

"It is night so not very many people are out. A few stranglers here and there… where do we go from here?" Renji stepped in line with Isuin. "Isuin-sama" She glanced at him a moment and was glad that he continued to use her alias. She'd forgotten to mention it to Byakuya that only the Captain's and their subordinates knew she was in fact the head of the Shihouin house and when it came to Tsuhitosa she would like to keep it that way. The man was a sore spot she didn't want to ache anymore that it did already.

"Tsuhitosa-san. I want you to scout ahead towards the north. I will give you time to do your captain's bidding when we have secured the area." She had pondered whether asking if that was acceptable, but she was the leading member on the team and it didn't matter if he liked it or no. He would obey.

He managed a soft nod and disappeared. She followed his motion with ease having greatly restrained abilities. She knew that Renji had all but mastered Shikai as well as Nao, but in this place none could wield that power as per Yamamoto-sama's orders. Isuin feared that they thought her a threat and should she defect or act outside her orders, her teams mates would be given free reign and she would be crushed. Thankfully she had no such intention and so her fears were little more than an irksome and passing though.

"Renji, check out the east and Nao, the west. I will head south. We will meet back here in an hour. If you run into anything abnormal you are to send a signal into the sky and the rest will come immediately." Both Renji and Nao disappeared as quickly as Tsuhitosa and Isuin stood a moment braced against the wind.

"I wish they had given me more information. For all I know this is a goose chase… and Hollow's are not the only thing that need to be feared here…"

.

Heading south Isuin watched rooftops fall behind her. Trees grew denser as a temple of sorts rose from a large hill, stone stairs leading all the way up. She shied away and turned east and then north once more. Her zone was clear so far, but already she could tell something was far from right. Her skin crawled as if being watched, followed… or hunted. The further away she moved from where she'd sensed it the greater the feeling seemed to grow. Then; as if were nothing but a passing fancy, the feeling was gone. She waited for almost twenty minutes when Tsuhitosa returned with little to report. He was followed closely by Nao and then Renji who did not seem to move as quickly as the rest. She noted that just encase.

"Anything?" Curious she was mildly surprised that at least Tsuhitosa had not picked up on anything strange being that he was so close when the feeling had affected her.

"The town seems very quiet and free of anything out of the norm." Renji stood stiff backed and Isuin sighed.

"Aburai fuku-taicho. I may be the lead of this group, but please. I am no Kuchiki noble to ask you to be so… stoic. This is a mission, yes, but I do not want you to think you have to stand on ceremony with me. Same for you two, Nao, Tsuhitosa." Renji shifted uncomfortably, but Nao relaxed right away. Tsuhitosa seemed to get worse if possible and she rolled her eyes.

"Why are you the lead on this mission, if I do not have to fall back on ceremony that is." Isuin groaned internally and turned.

"I have knowledge and background. Is that not enough?" He smiled in a manner that made her feel vulnerable. It was a feeling she cared little for. "Does that bother you? You may return if you do not care for my leadership." The smile faltered and he returned to being just as he was. A sore spot.

"First light will be coming up soon and I want constant vigilance on this mission. Any small inclinations I want to be informed about. I will not have men go down due to a Hollow attack because people were being half-hearted." Again her group nodded and she sighed into the cold night air. She was going to divulge information she didn't care to. "There are other things than Hollow that you need worry about. Urahara Kisuke and Shihouin Yoruichi reside somewhere on this side of the gateway. They are to be considered extremely dangerous… that being said. On top of what I have already said I was two man cells. Tsuhitosa with me and Nao and Renji. We don't know why we were called to this little town, but perhaps time will shed light on this matter."

.

Isuin studied the rooftops of buildings and grew tired with surveillance. That she had little to speak with in her other team member was irritating, but she could thin =k of little else to do. She didn't trust a man with the captain the he had to remain honest and true to the task at hand and so she had detailed herself to what felt like babysitting.

"Why are we on this mission? Why did they send us to investigate?" Isuin was startled by Tsuhitosa sudden eager nature and turned to him. "None of us really have experience in the living world. Why you, really?"

"Small mission deserves small members of society. We are expendable." It wasn't the truth to her but she could think of little else to say to him about it. She didn't have a clue, just like the rest. "And as I've said, I have experience…"

"Bullshit." She eyed him curiously and ws not warmed at all by the rising sun. "We went to the academy together. I was in your classes and although you did well enough you were far from reliable. I went missing from action for long periods of time and even as much as years. So I ask again. Why pick you over some others that are clearly fit for duty." Isuin was impressed and slightly curious as to why he of all people knew of her inactive statuses.

"Nosey little shit aren't you?" She leaned forward with the most unimpressed look on her face. "You even wonder that maybe it's supposed to look like I have absences? What I do for soul society when you haven't been spying, little worm that you are, is none of your concern. I will tell you though, that I have not been to the living world like you have not and don't find myself wonder why you aside from the expected issue the lay between us." She recoiled into herself and wondered on a more severe note why Tsuhitosa found it in his interests to follow her movements and over years at that. Was he perhaps a part of this mission's hidden agenda? Was she the hidden agenda or was she just being paranoid? "Either way my duties aren't being studied so I suggest you leave me out of your daily concerns." She didn't like him prying. At all.

"Liar." His tone said he knew something he clearly shouldn't know and the grin on his face proved it. "And you're shitty at lying… Shihouin Isuka." She didn't think twice about nailing against the chimney which cracked at its foundation.

"Little shit. Nosey little shit, listen up. You have found your way into a world of hurt if you think I won't consider disposing of your body in this world. You mention this information to a single soul and I will gut you, I will gut you like the sordid little stink fish that you are." Her fist tightened around the collar of his robe and her teeth ground in her mouth. Tsuhitosa only smiled and she let go.

"Why all the secrecy? Mayuri said all the captains and vice-captains know. Why not the rest?" He clearly didn't understand that his continually prying into her business was _none_ of his damned business.

"What don't you get about none of your business? It's mine. God dammit… " She ran her hand over her face. People had no right giving away her information just like that… Stupid Mayuri and his meddling… "Mention this to another soul and I'll have your head." She turned about face with a kido spell ready to launch and pointed at his face. It was rather un-noble-like.

"Woah… easy." Tsuhitosa backed away with his hands up palms out. "Didn't plan on it… I was just rubbing it in that it was no wonder you got through the academy so easy." She was debated letting her spell fly all the same and stifle her need to kill him. Her ease getting through the academy was only half of what he thought it was. She didn't receive special treatment per-say, but she had been learning most her life.

"Shut up and do what this mission re quires of you… and stay the hell out of my matters of estate. A noble house is a noble house all the same whether or not it is painted with the color of disgrace."

She was going to need one hell of an explanation when she returned to the living world for this mess. Despite her teams skills in battle and decision making it was still a rag-tag bunch because only Nao and herself knew how to work as a unit. She felt like she had been thrown out of the pot and into the fire.


End file.
